The article also explores why each AI cycle seems to start with chatbots. The reasons include anthropomorphic tendency, consumer-friendly interface, the Turing test, and the fact that chatbots are built for demos. However, with the introduction of ChatGPT, the relevance of the Turing test is beginning to diminish. The article concludes with a 1972 conversation between PARRY and ELIZA, demonstrating the interaction between two early chatbots.
Key takeaways:
- The origins of modern thought on AI started at the Dartmouth Workshop in 1956 with key figures like Claude Shannon, Marvin Minsky, and John McCarthy.
- The world’s first chatbot, ELIZA, was developed by MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966, simulating a psychotherapist and interacting with humans through keyword identification and predetermined scripts.
- Chatbots have evolved over the years, with notable examples including PARRY in 1972, Racter in 1983, Jabberwacky in 1997, and more recent developments like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Google Bard.
- Chatbots are often the starting point in AI cycles due to anthropomorphic tendencies, their consumer-friendly interface, their alignment with the Turing test, and their suitability for demos.