Multi-user intelligent assistance

At an intelligent assistant computer, a method, comprising:

• recognizing another intelligent assistant computer;
• recording speech spoken by a first user;
• obtaining a self-selection score for the first user based on the speech spoken by the first user;
• obtaining a remote-selection score for the first user from the other intelligent assistant computer;
• if the self-selection score is greater than the remote-selection score, responding to the first user, determining a disengagement metric of the first user based on recorded speech spoken by the first user, and blocking subsequent responses to all other users until the disengagement metric of the first user exceeds a blocking threshold;
• if the self-selection score is less than the remote-selection score, not responding to the first user;
• and
• stopping blocking subsequent responses to another user responsive to a new self-selection score for the first user being less than a new remote-selection score for the first user.

A computing system, comprising:

• a logic machine;
• and
• a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to:
• receive, from a first intelligent assistant computer, data representing speech spoken by a first user;
• receive, from a second intelligent assistant computer, data representing speech spoken by the first user;
• determine a selection score for the first intelligent assistant computer based on the data received from the first intelligent assistant computer;
• determine a selection score for the second intelligent assistant computer based on the data received from the second intelligent assistant computer;
• select the first intelligent assistant computer as a responding intelligent assistant computer if the selection score for the first intelligent assistant computer is greater than the selection score for the second intelligent assistant computer;
• select the second intelligent assistant computer as the responding intelligent assistant computer if the selection score for the second intelligent assistant computer is greater than the selection score for the first intelligent assistant computer;
• send an instruction to the responding intelligent assistant computer to respond to the first user;
• determine a disengagement metric of the first user;
• and
• send an instruction to the responding intelligent assistant computer to block subsequent responses to all other users until the disengagement metric of the first user exceeds a blocking threshold.