tech
Today’s Vergecast: Lessons from the very first chatbot.
Before Alexa and Siri, there was ELIZA. The first chatbot ever was the creation of a man named Joseph Weizenbaum, who built the bot almost as a magic trick — and then couldn’t believe how many people fell for it. David Berry and Mark Marino, two members of a team dedicated to restoring and understanding ELIZA, explain how Weizenbaum created the virtual conversant, why he came to regret it, and what ELIZA can teach us about life in the AI age.
TL;DR
- ELIZA, the first chatbot, was created by Joseph Weizenbaum.
- Weizenbaum initially presented ELIZA as a 'magic trick'.
- Many people were surprised by the public's reaction to ELIZA.
- David Berry and Mark Marino are working on restoring and understanding ELIZA.
- They will explain ELIZA's creation, Weizenbaum's regret, and its lessons for the AI age.