DALLAS -- AT&T* today introduced a powerful new addition to the company's AT&T BusinessDirect® Portfolio. Kate, a virtual customer-service representative, helps customers quickly find answers to questions they have about AT&T's products and services by helping them navigate to the most relevant information.

Customers visiting the AT&T BusinessDirect Portfolio will be able to click one of the "Ask Kate" icons, appearing in various places throughout the website, and open a chat window to enter their question, just as though they were chatting with an agent. Kate provides a friendly, immediate written and spoken response, creating a personal and interactive experience. From deals on devices, to finding applicable discounts and getting answers to questions about service contracts, Kate can provide the same high-touch service available from call-center representatives.

For example, when a customer needs help upgrading their device, Kate will guide them through the selection process, making the buying experience personal and easy.

The technology behind Kate provides a conversational interface that goes beyond the traditional natural language processing employed by most avatars and virtual agents. Kate has the ability to understand the intent of phrases and the context in which questions are asked, guiding customers to information and offers relevant to them. She's even able to navigate users to the most helpful web pages and provide additional links to related information. For difficult questions, Kate will ask clarifying questions to help locate answers quickly.

The business-savvy virtual agent is integrated with the other real-time support options. Should a customer need to speak to an agent, the agent has access to the chat with Kate, eliminating the need for the customer to re-explain the query. Not only is Kate able to interact with customers on a variety of subjects; she also has her own opinions - including plans on how she will spend her retirement.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T)