Chat Bots 101- Artificial Intelligence Optional
I recently enjoyed testing the intelligence of a variety of “Chat Bots” online. While some tend to hold meaningless conversations, others actually make some sense!
Chatterbots, otherwise known as Chat Bots are defined by Wikipedia in the following definition: A chatterbot (or chatbot) is a type of conversational agent, a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods.
Websites are now employing chat-bots to welcome visitors and answer questions, chat bots are able to serve as a virtual assistant. We have also seen some migration of chat bots into virtual world spaces, such as Second Life. So what’s with this rather new form of intelligent technology? Although it’s not necessarily new, in fact the oldest chat bot was recorded back in the 1960’s! Today, they seem to be evolving and intent on becoming a practical solution in a variety of business and pleasure applications. Perhaps ALICE (Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity), is the most famous chat bot of all.
What’s the role of a chat bot in an immersive virtual world? Applying chat bots into virtual world applications have been done- with some success. I believe that in the future we will see chat bots evolve further in virtual world spaces. When you enter Second Life you may immediately have a chat bot befriend you and carry on a meaningful (and intelligent) conversation. Rather than entering an empty area of Second Life with no other form of avatar contact. Chat bot technology is especially useful for companies that have set up shop in Second Life, whereas they don’t have to worry about staffing the Second Life location 24/7 as a virtual chat bot can do the job and answer the basic questions about a company. Because virtual worlds are primarily text based in nature for communication/ interactions this type of environment makes it a great test-bed for chat bot avatars. Utilized for entertainment and information services, Chat Bots are always available (24/7) and intelligent enough to answer questions.
Many are scripted, however a few are non-scripted that pull from a large database of text. Chat-bots are mostly text bound and utilize Natural Language Processing (NLP). Chat bots can range from greeters on web pages (that have been proven to increase sales/ conversion ratios), customer service representatives, tour guides and non-player characters (NPCs). Do they seem lifelike? To some extent yes, but they by no means take on the persona of a real person.
For some role-playing games, chatterbots help create “life” as NPCs within the region, regardless of the number of people around.
In Splintered Rock, we have some NPCs with chatterbots that we’ve tested for quite a while and reaction is mixed, but generally positive. People seem to have more fun poking at the “logic holes” than using them as intended, but that may be a consequence of a simple chatterbot implemented in LSL.
We’ve had more positive results from NPC chatterbots which perform actions that enhance the “ambience” of the environment.
An informal public poll we ran in game showed that people who visited prefered a live greeter *with* a backup NPC greeter than to either the live alone or NPC alone.
In my mind, the future is, and will be, the combination of people as NPCs and sim ambience, backed by AI/NPC chatterbots and animatronics… of course, that idea isn’t new. Disney has been doing that for decades in their theme parks, combining animatronics, puppets, and characters in costume to create their setting.
“Chatbots” seem a bit 1990′s at this point, unless you look at very recent emerging trends.
On reviewing the most recent winners of the international Chatterbot Challenge http://www.chatterboxchallenge.com/ you’ll see that we seem to be at a tipping point where, frankly, the technology will only facilitate “more human” bots when there is the inclusion of people whose job it is to create characters, not just code.
Traditionally, those have been authors, screenwriters, etc., not computer programmers. Can they co-exist and collaborate?
The gaming world and virtual world areas seem most likely to facilitate that convergence of talent. Both are creative and both are technical crafts. Put them under the same roof and who knows whether or not you can achieve the “persona of a real person?”
Believe it or not, these are not very effective in the field. After an initial “wowee” factor (experienced only by utterly unfamiliar users), I have found them to add little real value to interactive systems or installations. It’s interesting that you say they’ve been ‘proven to improve’ sales and such – I do not believe there would be any appreciable impact to most systems.
The real issue doesn’t even center on the “realism” of current systems: The fact is, humans are sophisticated, complex creatures – regal, even. It’s offensive to any intelligent life form to be interacting with what, however it may be presented, is little more than a talking database. Programmed systems (regardless of their base technology) will /never/ be capable of what we really /need/ from naturally interactive “systems”: Because this is something even we don’t understand yet.
What makes us worth talking to? Whatever it is, the systems we’re currently capable of making (or faking!) do not have it. Back to the drawing boards.