Patent US 6,317,486

An artificial intelligence system includes a telephone interface coupled to a telephone network which is capable of connecting with a caller, a debit card processing unit coupled to the telephone interface for verifying that the caller has one of a plurality of predetermined telephone debit cards which are capable of accessing only the one or more telephone numbers assigned to the telephone interface, and an artificial intelligence (A/I) engine including a natural language processor, the A/I engine being adaptable upon instruction by the caller to engage in colloquy with the caller in a voice of one of a plurality of known personalities.