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How I Failed the Turing Test

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the we-are-the-robots-doo-doo-doo-doo dept.

chrisjrn writes "I stubled across this article today, detailing a man's experiences of being added to AIM Screen Name lists - one full of "celebrities" and the other full of "Sex Bots" (he was, of course, neither of these). Raises a few questions as to how easy it is to get a hold of your screenname, and also of the effectiveness of the Turing Test for AI, in the online world. Or is it just that people aren't bothered trying to tell the humans apart anymore?" Also, it's funny. Don't try to read anything deep into it.

20 of 326 comments (clear)

  1. It's not that he failed the Turing test... by It+doesn't+come+easy · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's that the dialog of a typical IM user can't be distinguished from a brain-dead conversation bot...

    --
    The NSA: The only part of the US government that actually listens.
    1. Re:It's not that he failed the Turing test... by domipheus · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're the dialog of a typical IM user can't be distinguished from a brain-dead conversation bot?

    2. Re:It's not that he failed the Turing test... by ErroneousBee · · Score: 4, Funny

      When I run Nat King Cole through my music appreciation circuits, they return true values.

      --
      **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
    3. Re:It's not that he failed the Turing test... by Keith+Gabryelski · · Score: 5, Funny

      I live in Boston, MA but was in in Fort Lauderdale, FL a couple of months ago and thought it would be nice to see what Zagat's Guide had to say about the restaurants. I openned up the danger device and added "Zagat" and "Zagats" to my instant messenger buddy list, and immediately I saw "zagats" online. Very cool.

      The conversation went something like this:

          Keith M Gabryelski: fort lauderdale, fl

      [... moments pass ...]

          Zagats: ?
          Keith M Gabryelski: sushi
          Zagats: what do you want?
          Keith M Gabryelski: Well, missed opportunity me thinks. Have you never heard of Zagat's guide?

      At this point it is obvious to me my relationship with zagats will not be going much further. I receive no reply and set my sights on trying to navigate the zagat website from my danger device.

      A few days later, at lunch I notice "zagats" online again. I thought: hmmmm... let's play:

          Keith M Gabryelski: recommend thai boston, ma

      [... no response ...]

      About three minutes later:

          Ginaleena03: why are you im'ing my friend... shes not the zagats guidebook, shes a law student
          Keith M Gabryelski: Ok, then can u suggest a good thai place in boston?
          Keith M Gabryelski: Somewhere around the theatre district
          Keith M Gabryelski: That's ok if you have to think about... Get back to me later please

      [... time passes ...]

          Ginaleena03: no ... god! ... go on citysearch or something; we dont care where you dine
          Ginaleena03: we're not earning commissions over here
          Keith M Gabryelski: Ok. Well... I have a review for the zagat guide. Can I forward it to you and can you get it to them?

      [... at this point ginaleena03 and zagats both log off; I suspect I have been blocked ...]

      If anyone knows of a restaurant guide on AIM could you please forward the screenname? I suspect both of these are real people.

      Pax, Keith

      Ps, Yes... this actually happened

      PPs, Yes... I am an as*hole

  2. Re:Sex bots by Apiakun · · Score: 4, Funny

    What?

  3. Bots have interesting qualities by DJ+Marvin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, this article shows that at last we came to the point where a bot is comparable to a human being at a chat room. In fact, we didn't get to this point with better AI, but with worse RI (real intelligence, if the term applies to this case).

    Ladies and Gentleman: a completely insensitive and unintelligen bot can be more interesting to chat with than a human! Well, at least they write correctly (N07 L@M3 @SS).

  4. And Perhaps one day... by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 4, Funny
    And perhaps one day we will have to pause and ask ourselves, are real people posting comments to slashdot, or are the comments generated by automatons trapsing through automated stimuli and responses?

    By some day, I think I meant around 1999 or so.

    --
    "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
    --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
  5. GATTACA by Transdimentia · · Score: 5, Funny

    Forget genetic discrimination in the future, I can't even farking sign up for slashdot anymore. Soon I won't be able to get my welfare check because of these stupid turing tests!

  6. Favourite bit by SimilarityEngine · · Score: 5, Funny

    My favourite snippet has to be:

    jmstriegel: no, really. I'm quite human.
    jmstriegel: test me if you want
    shymuffin32: ok
    shymuffin32: why do you like music?
    jmstriegel: hmm. i've never really considered that.
    jmstriegel: hell, i'm not going to be able to contrive a good answer for that one. ask me something else.
    shymuffin32: jeesus, you're worse than eliza

    It's not him that's stupid (as claimed elsewhere), it's these shymuffin32 morons.

    --
    Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
    1. Re:Favourite bit by kfx · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh really? Would YOU believe that someone... who replies to your question with a generic response that seems to be only a way to wriggle out of the question, was a human?

      No, I'd believe they're a politician.

    2. Re:Favourite bit by schon · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, I'd believe they're a politician.

      Either way, there'd be no real intelligence. :o)

  7. really, it can't be that hard by theheff · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean, have you seen the typical chat room conversation?

    user1: ~~OMG~~
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot2: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot3: Want to see my sexy pics?
    user2: WUT!?
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot2: Want to see my sexy pics?
    user3: LoL
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot2: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot3: Want to see my sexy pics?
    user1: You LOL
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot2: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot3: Want to see my sexy pics?
    user3: STFU LOL!
    user2: OMG hAhA!
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot2: Want to see my sexy pics?
    bot3: Want to see my sexy pics?
    user1: JK :) !
    bot1: Want to see my sexy pics?

  8. Shaving problems? by AviLazar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I stubled across this article today

    You should try the Mach 3. It's tri-blade system gives you an extra smooth shave so you too can avoid stublingacross articles.

    --

    I mod down so you can mod up. Your welcome.
  9. weizenbaum by Borg453b · · Score: 4, Funny

    A couple of years ago Joseph Weizenbaum (Author of Eliza) held a guest lecture at IMV (Information & Media Science). I was thrilled and during a break I went up and asked him for a autograph. He gave me a sad look as he wrote down his autograph and email.

    It struck me how materialistically obsessed that enquiry seemed - and I regretted asking.

    I guess he had never forseen that his critic of the "strong AI" movement would one day be used for IM based pron-ads.

    --

    - Mad, ingenous - they've both left you puzzled -
  10. Re:Another AI test by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll believe in AI when a robot can tie shoelaces.

    The most convincing AIs I've seen are the bots in FPS games. And they're already programmed to hunt down and kill humans...

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  11. Re:Sex bots by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know, "Do, a Deer, a Female Deer" (from The Sound Of Music).
    But many of them... a number of Does.
    I guess that would be funny then ;)

    --
    Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
  12. Re:Another AI test by n54 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll believe in real AI when the robot tying your shoelaces ties them together to trip you :)

    --
    this comment is provided "as is" and without any express or implied legibility or congruity [...]
  13. Re:Skype Prank by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    There is a famous real world one that you can play. If you introduce two people to each other, tell each one that the other is mostly deaf, and that they have to SPEAK LOUDLY.

    At the end, they'll shout at each other. At this point you can leave. Very funny.

  14. Typical AOL-IM user by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's that the dialog of a typical IM user can't be distinguished from a brain-dead conversation bot...

    Me, too! :D

  15. Re:humor by pyrote · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quite possibly, I had never heard of Eliza until I read TFA.

    And how does that make you feel?

    --
    THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!!!! eventually.