1. A system, comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: receiving audio content of a user that is captured during a communication exchange between the user and an avatar presented by a set-top box; determining whether the audio content includes a search request for media content from the user; responsive to determining that the audio content includes the search request for the media content: performing an initial search for the media content according to the search request; presenting search results from the initial search; capturing images of the user during the communication exchange between the avatar and the user during and after the presenting of the search results; identifying a change in an emotional state of the user based on an analysis of speech of the user determined from the audio content and from the images of the user during and after the presenting of the search results, wherein the analysis of speech includes analysis of a grammatical structure of speech of the user; providing data to the set-top box for adapting characteristics of the avatar according to a profile to generate an adapted avatar according to the identifying of the change in the emotional state of the user; performing an updated search for the media content, wherein the updated search is modified according to the change in the emotional state of the user; and causing the set-top box to present the adapted avatar presenting content from a media content source according to the updated search.