Microsoft Files Patent for Conversational AI-Powered Gestural Prompting System

Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC has patented a technology that utilizes conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to generate gestural prompts for virtual assistants and bots. This system aims to bridge the gap between language-oriented conversations and multimodal gestures, enabling more expressive interactions with users. The patent, filed on July 26, 2022, and published on October 14, 2025, describes a technique that utilizes a combination of natural language understanding (NLU), sentiment analysis, and computer vision to extract both verbal and gestural prompts.

Key Takeaways:

  • The patented technology uses conversational AI to recognize a plurality of gesture types and classify real user queries at runtime based on the recognized gesture type.
  • The system includes training data that describes situations, gestures, prompts, and gestural annotations for responses, which are used to train a natural language understanding (NLU) model.
  • The NLU model is utilized in a process that controls a bot, enabling it to recognize user queries and provide appropriate gestural responses.
  • The patent includes various claims, including one that specifically mentions recognizing a stimulus warranting a response, classifying the stimulus, and annotating the stimulus into a gestural prompt.
  • The proposed system integrates multiple AI models, including NLU, sentiment analysis, and computer vision, to extract and generate gestural prompts.
  • The technology is designed to improve the expressiveness and naturalness of interactions between virtual assistants and humans.

Statistics:

  • The patent was filed on July 26, 2022, and published on October 14, 2025.
  • The patent number is 12444410.
  • The patent has 20 claims, including those related to the NLU model, gesture recognition, and bot control.
  • The proposed system involves training data that includes scenarios, gestures, prompts, and gestural annotations.

Sources:

  • Alazma, Manar. "Gestural Prompting Based on Conversational Artificial Intelligence." U.S. Patent Number 12444410, July 26, 2022, and published online on October 14, 2025.