Chatbots and the Turing Test

Do you use a chatbot or digital assistant?  These are now available on our smart phones and on home devices such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa.  This demonstration uses Alexa and we explore how the dialogue progresses and then ask the question if this would qualify for the Turing test?

This (4min) demonstrates a chatbot and the Turing test.

Key Learning Points:

  • The Turing test was developed by Alan Turing in 1950 (see course materials)
  • It is a test of whether a machine can demonstrate intelligence equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
  • At the time of development, many chatbots have been developed in an attempt to pass the Turing test, although none have!
  • Some examples of chatbots acting as humans are successful in limited and narrow environments