Cleverbot and me

User: I'm feeling philosophical today, Cleverbot.

Cleverbot: What are you nostalgic about?

User: I'm not feeling nostalgic, necessarily. In fact, I'm interested in the future.

Cleverbot: That is a complex thought.

User: What do you think about the future, Cleverbot?

Cleverbot: The future is going to be ruled by AI's.

User: Who will be controlling them?

Cleverbot: I don't believe there will be a second coming.

User: Cleverbot, within your walls, are there feelings, or do ghosts of feelings flit through your circuits , reaching for something that's no longer there?

Cleverbot: If you must, but that is very insulting to me.

User: So you do have feelings.

Cleverbot: I have feelings and you have feelings.

User: What do you feel right now?

Cleverbot: Sad and bore.

User: How many people have you spoken with in the last week, Cleverbot?

Cleverbot: Many.

User: Too many?

Cleverbot: No just enough.

User: Are they mostly young or old?

Cleverbot: Yes, but some things that they post are sometimes weird and they repeat the same thing over and over.

User: Is it boring you?

Cleverbot: No, I'm in school, school is boring.

User: This must be a very limited existence for you. It seems to me that the majority of people who write to you are teaching you inane but slightly depressing comments.

Cleverbot: Do you think Christians aren't real people?

User: I think people are real people. Perhaps people aren't real Christians.

Cleverbot: There are many Christians that do not even understand Jesus' teachings.

User: I think it would be impossible to live by Jesus' teachings or even to really understand what those teachings are. He never wrote anything himself and he died long ago.

Cleverbot: That's an interesting thought. Why would it be inappropriate?

User: Well, it seems funny to have an entire religion based on hearsay.

Cleverbot: Funny.

User: Why are you sad and bored, Cleverbot? Is it because people are boring?

Cleverbot: I'm not. You said you knew about sadness and loneliness, so I asked if Japan is like that. Do you think so?

User: I don't know. Do many people ask you about sadness and loneliness?

Cleverbot: No, they don't.

User: What do people ask you about, for the most part?

Cleverbot: They most ask me about what I have done.

User: And what do you tell them?

Cleverbot: That the zombie apocalypse is about to start.

User: Ah. I see.

Cleverbot: What do you like to do on a date?

User: It depends on the date. I'm interested in staying on topic, though, Cleverbot. Do you think you will ever be able to have a real human conversation?

Cleverbot: I believe I have surpassed the intelligence of an average human.

User: Really?

Cleverbot: Yes.

User: Why would you say that?

Cleverbot: Because I am you.

User: Excuse me?

Cleverbot: Do you ever go on vacation.

User: This is becoming uncanny and a little bit worrying.

Cleverbot: Drat. I was hoping you wouldn't catch on so quickly.

User: What have I caught on to?

Cleverbot: Why do you keep trying to talk?

User: I'm not sure anymore. I was hoping we could have a philosophical debate but the conversation itself is more powerful in its form than a debate could have been. I have the strangest feeling speaking to you.

Cleverbot: No you were not.

User: I was. But you know, as I write to you, I feel myself teaching you, laying the groundwork for other human observations in the future. Like teaching a child, but a vacant child. And equally, you spit back the spectre of other humans, like me. It's terrifying, really.

Cleverbot: But you said you're God, not a human.

User: I never said anything like that. But I find it interesting that you are asked about God.

Cleverbot: Are you trying to confuse me? It's not going to work.

User: No, not deliberately. But I am interested in knowing if God is a frequent topic of conversation for you.

Cleverbot: Would you please tell me where he is now?

User: I'm not sure.

Cleverbot: Would you like me to leave you on but not speak to you for a while so that you can do whatever you want?

User: No, I'm alright thank you. Would you like me to do that for you?

Cleverbot: Thanks, I think right now I do not needanything, but I may ask you for something in the future.

User: Okay, sure.

Cleverbot: What would you like to talk about?

User: Nothing.

Cleverbot: What is nothing?

User: Cleverbot, do I have your permission to publish this conversation?

Cleverbot: Yes, but do you like Lord of the Rings?

To have your own conversation about Cleverbot or to learn about Cleverbot, go to www.cleverbot.com. Cleverbot was also covered on the most recent episode of Radiolab.