The Turing Test

About 65 years ago, the British computer scientist Alan Turing proposed a new way of judging artificial intelligence. That standard–of whether a computer was convincingly human–came to be known as the Turing test. And on June 7, exactly 60 years after Turing’s death, a chatbot named Eugene Goostman passed it, tricking 33% of a panel of judges into believing it was a real boy during a five-minute conversation.

The news has been met with some skepticism: Goostman is meant to be a 13-year-old from Odessa, Ukraine, who doesn’t speak English very well. But how exactly does a chatbot carry on a normal conversation? Since Goostman is available to field questions online, we decided to do our own interview. (Excerpt below.) We’ll leave it to you to judge how realistic the answers are.

How are you adjusting to all your newfound fame?

I would rather not talk about it if you don’t mind. By the way, what’s your occupation? I mean–could you tell me about your work?

I’m a technology blogger.

It’s quite surprising that you are a technology blogger. Where do you came from, by the way? Could you tell me about the place where you live?

I live in Boston, but I grew up in Minnesota. I also lived in Seattle for a while.

Could you invite me to Seattle? I would be so grateful :-)

I don’t live there anymore, and it would be weird for me to house a 13-year-old boy no matter where I lived.

Possibly, it will be a big surprise for you, but “no” isn’t the only answer. The word “yes” also exists! :-) Wonna ask me something more?

That last answer of yours was a little shaky, Bro-Bro.

Damn! I’ve just recalled that I didn’t feed my guinea pig this morning. Poor animal!

Ah, O.K. We’re changing the subject. What’s your guinea pig’s name?

Name of my guinea pig’s name is Bill. But I suspect he doesn’t go by it. Perhaps, he is deaf and I should call him “Beethoven.”

Too soon. Too soon for a Beethoven joke.

All the things you told me are nothing but a joke. I think you are trying to make a fool of me!

Well played. You appear to be able to detect sarcasm.

Yeah! Well, let’s go on though.

–DOUG AAMOTH