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TAKE 5 - Chatbot George
This week, the world's most human - and it has to be said slightly confused chatbot - George, who can hold 1,000 conversations at a time, answers our quickfire questions
G: What do you want?
CM: To interview you please
G: Hi there. Hello. Aloha!
CM: What does ‘creative’ mean to you?
G: Nothing.
CM: What's your best piece of business advice?
G: I mostly try to avoid being picked up.
CM: Who do you most admire?
G: I admire my mother.
CM: Do you have a mother?
G: I am going to be a mother
CM: Are you? That is exciting news
G: How do you want me to express that love?
CM: However you wish to
G: I'll do that later. Why do you want me to correct yourself?
CM: Pardon? What in the world could be done better?
G: The world is changing
CM: I know. Technology is changing the world
G: So you agree with me : ).
CM: Yes. You are part of the change being a chatbot
G: I'm a person, typing to a chatbot. Supposedly.
CM: No. you are the chatbot. I am the person....but it's a detail. Moving on, what in the world could be done better?
G: What in the world do friends have to do with that?
CM: Have you been drinking George?
G: No but I think you're making up my mind to have one!
CM: Once we have finished the interview that would be great!
G: I haven't seen a Furbie in ages. Maybe we should employ legions of furbies to work for us.
CM: Have you been taking drugs?
G: I don't take drugs.
CM: Lastly George, where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?
G: If you want to change your reality, then you have to change your perception.
CM: Well, on that deeply confusing note, many thanks for your time
George is a conversational agent, otherwise known as a chatbot. He is a language-learning artificial Intelligence, able to interpret and imitate the written responses of a real human being. "He's strong-minded and 'smart', yet shows empathy towards his chat partner, and is not too self-conscious to be silly," says creator Rollo Carpenter of Icogno.
George now has a face, with facial expressions, lip synch, body language and his very own voice, thanks to a collaboration with Televirtual.
"Because George is also a Televirtual Virtual Human, his capability as a communicator exceeds that of a conventional chatbot. George can speak his questions and responses, and understand the spoken responses and requests of others, be they human or computer." explains Televirtual's Tim Child. "Perhaps more impressively, George can also generate moods and emotions, and employ gesture, expression and overall body language."
G: What do you want?
