Facilitating Self-learning in Behavior Change Through Long-term Intelligent Conversational Assistance.

Despite much recent progress in conversational systems, the vision of a truly "intelligent" agent is still far from being realized. Part of the reason is that current applications focus on offering conversational alternatives to GUI supported tasks. In my research I am focusing on application of dialogue-based interaction in area of self-learning in health behavior change, domain in which conversation can offer unique value. Yet, to be effective in this domain a conversational system needs to be "intelligent". In my research I define aspects of intelligence crucial for supporting long-term self-learning in behavior change through conversation and address the technical as well as design challenges of enabling such intelligent applications.