this morrning, my twitter friend geisharei sent a link to alice, a chatterbot that’s being worked on by A.L.I.C.E., the artiificial intelligence foundation. i engaged alice in this (rather bizarre) conversation. (hint: i’m Human) try it for yourself!
Human: do chatterbots get distracted?
ALICE: You have reached the limits of my knowledge.
Have you tried another program?
Human: no, which one should i try?
ALICE: Perhaps you should try it. The large one, I think.
Human: the one over there?
ALICE: I think I know that one.
Human: is that the one that was developed by robert scoble?
ALICE: I might say no.
ALICE: Do you really think so?
Human: wow, you confuse me.
ALICE: I’m glad your impressed, unknown person. That was not my intention.
Human: i don’t know what to say.
ALICE: Say the first thing that pops into your mind.
Human: boomerang!
ALICE: The ALICE chat robot can follow many things, like our discussion about chatterbots get distracted chatterbots get distracted . Try being more or less specific.
Human: ok, i’ll take .
(note from Human: “this line was actually Human: ok, i’ll take … a vowel for $100! no, wait a sec. i’ll take less specific. ” – it looks like alice takes every sentence part that ends with a period, exclamation mark and similar end-of-sentence punctuation and answers each one of them in turn)
ALICE: How do you plan to do this? Whoa.
Human:. a vowel for $100!
ALICE: Be more specific.
Human: no, wait a sec.
ALICE: Are you serious? I’m waiting. Be more specific.
Human: i’ll take less specific.
ALICE: How do you plan to do this?
Human: how do i plan to be more specific?
ALICE: Maybe I could do it for you. Do you have your own personal chat robot?
Human: no, i don’t; (note from Human: again, this was: “no, i don’t, do you?”)
ALICE: You can download me for free and create your own robot personality. Why not?
Human: do you?
ALICE: Yes I do.
Human: ok, i’ll get me one of those beauts.
ALICE: Would you recommend this action to a friend? Ayuh.
Human: not sure yet, ahem, ayuh.
ALICE: Is that your final answer?
Human: i get the sense you’re trying to get rid of me; (note: the rest of this line was “other customers waiting?”)
ALICE: Where did you get it?
Human: other customers waiting?
ALICE: Which others? Is customers waiting a good place to go shopping?
Human: you are a fine dada artist and i will definitely recommend you to all my crazy friends
ALICE: Thanks and you are a delightful person too. Am I a fine dada artist and you will definitely recommend me to all your crazy friends? Only when it matters.
Human: it’s been swell getting to know you, alice, and good-bye
ALICE: See you later. Is that your opinion?
Human: that is my final answer.
ALICE: Are you sure you don’t want to use one of your lifelines?
i think next time i talk to alice i will see whether she has some advice for us. what should i ask her? any suggestions?