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Jabberwacky is a chatterbot created by British programmer Rollo Carpenter. Its stated aim is to “simulate natural human chat in an interesting, entertaining and humourous manner”. It is an early attempt at creating an artificial intelligence through human interaction.
Technology The technology behind Jabberwacky works on a different principle to that of other artificial intelligence software being developed. The system is designed to learn language and context through interaction with humans. There are no fixed rules or principles programmed into the system and it operates entirely through user interaction. The system stores all of the conversations and user comments and attempts to use this information to find the most appropriate response. The program therefore creates a massive database of contextually appropriate conversations and chooses an appropriate response it has learnt from a previous user when holding a conversation. The system is also designed to speak foreign languages and claims to be able to learn and respond appropriately if enough information is provided. In a similar way the system claims to be able to learn slang English, games, jokes and word games. Purpose The stated purpose of the project is to create an artificial intelligence that is capable of passing the Turing Test. It is designed to mimic human interaction and to carry out conversations with users. It is not designed to carry out any other functions. However unlike more traditional AI programs the creator does not envisage the technology being used for computer support systems but sees it more as a tool for entertainment. The ultimate intention of the program is to move from a text based system to a wholly voice operated system. He believes that it can ultimately be incorporated into objects around the home such as robots or talking pets. The system could then be used to entertain and to keep people company. Jabberwacky has been a contestant in the Loebner Prize Contest in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and has shown a gradual improvement. The latest programs, George in 2005, and Joan, in 2006, both won the bronze prize award for the most convincing human interaction. No system has yet won the gold prize. Problems Although Jabberwacky is designed to find appropriate responses, not everyone finds it possible to have natural conversations with the software. One problem is caused by people who ignore Jabberwacky changing the subject and continue with their own conversations. This can cause the system to respond with inappropriate comments to future users. As well as rapid changes in topic, Jabberwacky is also known for being bad tempered and rude. The fact that people often interact with the software in a less respectful way than they would to a person has implications for a learning system. Example The following provides an example of how problems can be caused using this system of learning. User One: Hi Jabberwacky: Hi User One: What is your favourite television program? Jabberwacky: I like running User One: Mine is Wonderfalls User Two: Hi Jabberwacky: Hi User Two: Do you have any hobbies? Jabberwacky: Yes, lots User Two: I like running Jabberwacky: Mine is Wonderfalls However, it is hoped by the project creators that Jabberwacky will over time learn more about "running", and be able to distinguish between possible outputs using deeper context. Counter-example The following illustrates the entertaining nature of some conversations, and the building of near-appropriate context. Jabberwacky: Save me for the nothing I've become. I've been living a life. There's nothing inside. User: Don't gimme that. Jabberwacky: What did you say? User: You heard me Jabberwacky: No I didn't. User: Doe, a deer, a female deer. Jabberwacky: These are a few of my favourite things. User: Nooooooooooo! You're mixing it up again. Want to sing that one now? Jabberwacky: I enjoy confusing people; some would say I live for it. User: Doe, a deer, a female deer. Jabberwacky: Ray, the guy that sells me beer. User: Me, a name I call myself. Jabberwacky: The Hills are alive... User: Noooooooooooooo! Why are you doing this? George The Jabberwacky program offers the opportunity to create individual chatbox programs. The most famous of these programs is George. George is a character who has learned conversational skills from interaction with visitors to the website and conversations with Rollo Carpenter. It was the George program which was submitted for the Loebner prize in 2005 and not the Jabberwacky software generally. Customisable Bots The Jabberwacky website offers users the opportunity to create their own bots, which they can teach. By having an individual bot, people can “program” it to have any personality they wish simply by having conversations. There is a fee for this service however. Timeline | ||||||||
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