Intention emerges from Context

Imagine two scenarios as shown in the picture below. For the same question, two different answers are returned which are "magically" correct and intelligent. This requires analyzing the sentences/question/message beyond syntax, semantics but needs a good mix of "pragmatics", "common sense", possible goals and actions and the steps towards the realizing the goals. This amounts to analyzing the message/question in its situational context, including the knowledge and beliefs of the speaker and the relationship and interaction between speaker and listener.

In person to person(s) communication, one of the main factors of effectiveness is the intention behind the message. The intention is not directly inferable from the words. It is a complex combination of the context and semantics of the message. The context include the "who", "whom", "when", "sequence of events/conditions", let alone sarcasms and jokes. An intelligent person often quickly understands the intention while a novice might just grapple with the meaning of the words. The non-verbal aspects further complicate this. The dissemination of the intention of a message (question/advice/instruction, etc. ) is very critical for finding the right answer for the question, taking the right action on the instructions, etc.

Also, it is critical to understand the intention for providing better education, better explanation, and in general, more effective communication. It is often not difficult to find an answer, however, knowing what answer the user is expecting clinches the deal, improves customer satisfaction, and avoid confusion and misunderstanding. It also provides valuable information on safety and protection too from any of adversary intentions of dangerous people/criminals.

When we are enabling the computer to be more and more cognitive, it is necessary to go beyond typical NLP analysis/understanding if we want the cognitive application to behave intelligently.

A simple question like "Is it going to rain today?" can have different connotations based on the context that helps you understand the intention. It may be to switch off the sprinklers or cancel an outdoor game. It may be as simple as what kind shoes one should wear to work, to determine the attendance for a party, simply to know what the temperature could be. It may not be possible to infer the right intention without knowing the context without the previous or subsequent questions/communications. This is where we may have to piece together several factors in understanding the intention.

The dissemination of the intention of a message (question/advice / instruction, etc. ) is very critical for finding the right answer for the question, taking the right action on the instructions, etc. Also, it is critical to understand the intention of providing better education, better explanation, and in general, more effective communication.

 It is often not difficult to find an answer, however, knowing what answer the user is expecting clinches the deal, improves customer satisfaction, and avoid confusion and misunderstanding. it also provides valuable information on safety and protection too from any of adversary intentions of dangerous people/criminals. Deriving the right intention is of prime importance to understand the message and react accordingly.

Useful, marketing communication, threat detection, education, etc. May be detecting the intention from the words and actual intention can also indicate possible deficiencies in cognition too once this method is fully developed which can be helpful in psychological and medical analysis of cognitive development in probable patients.

Why understanding the intention is important?

Predicting upcoming behaviors so that better product/service/price can be offered

Anticipating upcoming questions so the answers can be found more accurately and quickly

Detecting criminal activities so that appropriate preventive actions can be taken