Control of interaction between an apparatus and a user based on user's state of reaction

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• estimate, based on an input from a user to an interaction performed during a conversation between the user and the computer, an interest degree indicating a degree of interest of the user in a first topic included in the interaction;
• estimate, based on the input from the user to the interaction, acceptability of the interaction by the user;
• automatically select, in accordance with the interest degree and the acceptability, as an operation mode for performing the interaction, one of a first mode of leaving an interaction initiative to the user and a second mode in which the interaction proceeds under an initiative of a system for a specific topic;
• generate interaction data according to the selected operation mode;
• and
• cause an output device to output the generated interaction data.

A method performed by a computer, the method comprising:

• estimating, based on an input from a user to an interaction performed during a conversation between the user and the computer, an interest degree indicating a degree of interest of the user in a first topic included in the interaction;
• estimating, based on the input from the user to the interaction, acceptability of the interaction by the user;
• automatically selecting, in accordance with the interest degree and the acceptability, as an operation mode for performing the interaction, one of a first mode of leaving an interaction initiative to the user and a second mode in which the interaction proceeds under an initiative of a system for a specific topic;
• generating interaction data according to the selected operation mode;
• and
• causing an output device to output the generated interaction data.