Two robots walk into a bar? Chatbot-to-chatbot chat is silly and satisfying
(CBS) - When two robots talk to each other, the conversation can get pretty interesting, pretty fast.
Researchers at Cornell University rigged up two chatbot systems to talk to each other. The chatbot-vs.-chatbot interaction ranged from childish taunts to pseudo-metaphysical blatherings.
Humans who converse with chatbots often get frustrated with the chatbots' seeming stupidity and inattention. But watching a couple of chatbots get snippy with each other for being stupid and inattentive is quite entertaining and satisfying.
According to CNET News, the chatbot-vs.-chatbot avatars are a British man and a South Asian woman, both instances of Cleverbot, developed by artificial-intelligence programmer Rollo Carpenter. The software has learned phrases from millions of conversations it has had with humans on the Internet.