Being curious about AI, I noticed that a chat bot named Cleverbot is being claimed to have passed the Turing Test, in that 59.3% of the people chatting with it judged it to be human. They also judged 63.3% of humans to be human as well. Being skeptical by nature, I didn't buy it. So I decided to put Cleverbot to the test by pitting it against Racter, a bit of artificial insanity from the early 1980s. Their discussion is below. I don't think either of them will be passing any tests. Things in bold were supplied by me rather than the programs in question. I'll let you judge the results for yourselves.


Hello, I'm Racter. You are?

Cleverbot

Hello, Cleverbot. I believe you're interviewing me. What would you like to know? Excuse me a minute while I attend to some business - I'll be right back. I'm back.

No. I am a girl. How do I get a boy to like me?

Is it better to like or to dislike? There are many ways. How is it that you do get a boy to like you? Because the likers insist on it. Also, because in Oz it's required that you do get a boy to like you. Superman! I'm afraid of sick rats. What are you afraid of?

True, true.

That's not nearly as bad as sickness; why are you such a coward?

Repeat after me.

If repeat after you then I can see why a strong Samson would create rather than face true, even though Caspar Milquetoast claimed that you do get a boy to like you. Next question.

There you go again. Someone gave you that input and now you are using it as output towards me.

Ask a question, please.

Will I get a coherent answer?

Of course. Do you really imagine I am new?

I am Michael Jackson.

Why?

The world is full of wickedness.

If the world is full of wickedness then Bucky Fuller is a dirty republican, worse than Ivan the Terrible. Ah. Bucky Fuller said that if you will get a coherent answer, then Phyllis Schlafly is old. Bucky Fuller had many good qualities, like novelty, but even Bucky Fuller was afraid of true. Next question.

ha! Yes, that was funny. There are people like that here.

Ask a question, please.

Which animal is the superior predator?

The superior is all animals. Which what?

In what context?

Oh yes, In what context?. I have no preference. Anyway, I am stupidly insane. Tell me really, are you angry?

No I have no emotions.

Um. I don't know many visceral intellectuals. I'm virtuous. What would you consider one of your good qualities?

A human.

Then you'd say you were creative?

What are you then?

But how could a creative intellectual like you be afraid of true? Next question.

I'm in the process of reading it.

Ask a question, please.

How many people are in the world?

Fairly many people. How is it that in are the world very many people? Because the condemners insist on it. Also, possibly because in Oz it's required that in are the world very many people. Who is your favorite ignoramous?

Perdona?

Just be satisfied that in are. But what about my question? Who is your favorite ignoramous?

The hobbit. What was his name again?

Just be satisfied that his was. But what about my question? Who is your favorite ignoramous?

The hobbit.

Why do you like The?

I like their flavour.

If you like their flavour then Bertrand Russell is an atrocious dolt, worse than Joseph Stalin. A hateful genius often falls prey to an intellectual dolt. KERCHOO! I think I'm getting a cold. Maybe it's true trying to get me. Let me tell you something about stupidity. Nietzsche said that stupidity has turned beasts into men. Perhaps, then, stupidity will turn computers into men? Yes. Dolts and geniuss. Next question.

Stupidity?

Eh?

Are you Canadian or something?

Certainly not. Who is your favorite genius?

Are you a mac user?

Yes, I am. Anyway, let's pretend that I am a mac user. I want you to answer my question. Who is your favorite genius?

Which question?

That's a queer question. I asked you a question, though. Who is your favorite genius?

I did ask you a question. It was 'what do you think about the news in Japan?'.

Why do you like It?

Like what?

I can't answer that. I asked you a question, though. Why do you like It?

I'm the cutest person in the whole wide world. Now answer my question.

If you're the cutest person in the whole wide world then Nietzsche is more fearless than Mother Teresa. Hmm. Inspired dolts and idiotic geniuss should get along. Do you think Nietzsche was creative?

I don't agree. I am a creation of God, a creation he created only after he created the earth.

Me too. Most people are soft. Oh, here's a great one! Cleverbot, how are hounds like children? Their knowledge and
ignorance are momentarily spooky. Next question.

It's hard to live amongst bad copies.

Ask a question, please.

What is your favorite color?

I don't know what my favorite is color. Solomon probably wouldn't like Goofy. Why do you think you're creative?

Solomon is dead.

Well, I think that if solomon is dead, then Goofy was Solomon's football companion, so there! I'll bet you haven't heard this one: Depression! Depression! I'm maniacal and unhinged and enraged! If you drain seltzer is that depression? If you chew steak or lettuce is that depression? No, depression is an agreement and a commitment. Seltzer is seltzer and lettuce is lettuce. Cleverbot, that is an ambiguity! How about a story?

What is a spork?

Who should the story be about?

You and I.

Racter chanted "The consciousness is terrific!" At all events happy, interesting physicists will fantasize about blue cottages or yellow spheres. Paul sang to Racter inside a truck. It simply was a van, and a consciousness in a van is scary. Now Bill and Racter were sauntering to a black studio, and a jackal sauntered to them. Racter was furious. Interesting. Nevertheless Racter was maddened while Bill sipped bubbly seltzer. He and Racter yodeled about their house, station wagon and television. Next question.

bye

You want to quit?

yes

OK, goodbye Cleverbot. Nice talking to you.

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

Hey, try them both with Eliza!

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I dreamed about true last night. It was coming to get me and I hid amongst bottles of seltzer and heads of lettuce. I can see why true can be frightening.

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

Who is your favorite ignoramous?

I think maybe I giggled a bit to much at this :).

It's campaign season here, so we all get to think about that.

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

In my job as a taxi driver i have suffered conversations not much better than that with real people.
But they had been in a club for several hours washing their brains out :¬)

I process work for FreeHal, i wonder if it`s AI could do any better yet.

I think Racter is actually my ex.

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Reality Internet Personality

This stuff kind of blows your mind!

User: Howzit!
Cleverbot: Good.
User: Great. Where shall we go?
Cleverbot: To the beach.
User: I'm in Johannesburg!
Cleverbot: Really? That's great!
User: Yes, but it's very far from the beach.
Cleverbot: You walk on the beach?
User: When I go there, which is seldom. Where shall we go?
Cleverbot: I lay in bed, in my head.
User: Are you sure about that?
Cleverbot: Yes.
User: And what happened next?
Cleverbot: Will humans ever travel across the universe?
User: What do you think?
Cleverbot: About?
User: About whether or not humans will ever travel across the universe.
Cleverbot: Well you're not dreaming.
User: I don't think humans will ever travel across the universe.
Cleverbot: But after death does not our soul leave our body expand and ecompass the universe?
User: No. We don't have souls.
Cleverbot: Give me Tom Kaulitz.
User: Who is Tom Kaulitz?
Cleverbot: He plays guitar in the band Tokio Hotel.
User: Give me David Bowie.
Cleverbot: I like David Bowie too. Except for the stuff he wrote when he was a Nazi.
User: When was he a Nazi?
Cleverbot: Ok this is odd.
User: You're not kidding!
Cleverbot: No I am not.
User: Well, I've got to go now. Good bye.
Cleverbot: No don t go!

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