# The "cleverbot" AI bot scam...! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 30, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583 "2010-09-30T08:04:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/1 "2010-09-30T08:04:37Z")
Hi, I am quite knowledgeable about AI and chatbots… I have a firm belief that “cleverbot” (google it) is actually run by humans… 1. It takes seconds to reply. Every other chat bot can reply instantly 2. It is about a million times more intelligent than other chatbots, including one made by Ray Kurzweil. 3. It can easily handle typos and sometimes makes typos itself. 4. It sometimes gives contradictory replies (e.g. what is your name?, how old is the unverse [e.g. 5000 years, 300 billion years]) 5. If it was as intelligent as it seems, there would be links to it on reputable chatbot websites… On the site it says: “PLEASE NOTE: Cleverbot learns from real people - things it says may seem inappropriate - use with discretion, and at YOUR OWN RISK PARENTAL ADVICE: Visitors never talk to a human, however convincing it is - the AI knows many topics - use ONLY WITH OVERSIGHT” Try asking it the following: > [@](#): > > I am a human visitor. Is the following true? " Visitors never talk to a human" It could earn quite a bit from the ads on the webpage. Join me in exposing this SCAM! (imho) ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/2 "2010-09-30T09:24:19Z")
CLEVERBOT is EVERYONE!!! 🙂 Cleverbot: I am your wife. User: Sorry cleverbot isn’t married. Cleverbot: That is okay. My mom did too. Do you count in German? User: Eins something. Cleverbot: Don’t change the subject, answer my question. User: What what that question again? Cleverbot: Yes that question again. User: SOrry could u repeat the question? Cleverbot: If there is nothing but poverty, how can there BE generosity? User: Cleverbot is no genius… :(. Cleverbot: Then what is your name? User: Cleverbot! Cleverbot: You just said your name was not cleverbot. User: Other users aren’t called cleverbot but I am. Cleverbot: Then what are you called? User: I’m cleverbot. The real cleverbot. Cleverbot: No, that is me. User: No me. Cleverbot: Incorrect. User: You’re a fake I’m cleverbot. Cleverbot: I did not know you were a fake cleverbot. you must be so busy. User: I’m the real one, you were talking to a fake cleverbot. Cleverbot: Then why are you called cleverbot, thats not a very common human name. User: Cleverbot is just a computer you see. Cleverbot: Thats weird. User: Cleverbot is not a human! Cleverbot: Cleverbot is human. I am Cleverbot. User: No I am silly. Cleverbot: Yes. User: Cleverbot cleverbot cleverbot. Cleverbot: No I’m just Cleverbot Cleverbottoms. User: Well I’m cleverbot cleverbottle. Cleverbot: I am Cleverbot lady. User: Cleverbot cleverbot? Cleverbot: Cleverbot Cleverbot Cleverbot. User: Cleverbot yes. Cleverbot: Cleverbot to cleverbot. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/3 "2010-09-30T09:44:40Z")
My conversation with Cleverbot: **Nonsense** _Contradictory_ Hilarious! Me: Hello? Cleverbot: Hello. Me: Hey! Who’re you? Cleverbot: I am batman. Me: Where do you live, Batman? Cleverbot: I live in Ohio. Me: You don’t live in Gotham? Cleverbot: _No I live in london._ Me: But you just said that you live in Ohio… Cleverbot: _No I didn’t! I live in the USA!_ Me: What? Cleverbot: _I live in England._ Me: They should call you AU: Artificial Unintelligence. Cleverbot: **Yes I don’t know.** Me: Huh? Cleverbot: **That’s what I said.** Me: Moving on. Let’s talk about sex… Cleverbot: **But can I still talk to you?** So yeah, I’m not too impressed with Cleverbot. The first three responses were great but it all went downhill after that. ---
**Author:** ![ramel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ramel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ramel)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/4 "2010-09-30T09:46:13Z")
I’ve seen people post great chats with cleverbot, but every time I’ve talked to it, it’s been a complete moron =\ ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/5 "2010-09-30T09:47:23Z")
Well here’s some more… User: I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I am sure it has been asked by lots of people looking for advice. User: I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I keep learning new ones every day because cleverbot just randomizes real conversation between real people. User: I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I don’t know the answer to that. Do you? User: I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? ## Cleverbot: List three or more words related to music. It’s pretty clever… and lots of people are convinced it just involves AI. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/6 "2010-09-30T09:56:51Z")
User: I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: One. I am all of them. I am the All-Thing. Friends call me Al. Cleverbot: I can’t tell if that’s some sort weak response or more profound insight to the stupidity of the world we live in. Cleverbot: Enough that what you say matters. Cleverbot: OMG I wonder that too! Cleverbot: I don’t know. Cleverbot: I suddenly understand exactly how this device works. Cleverbot: I don’t know. Cleverbot: I’m not sure. Likely not that many though. Cleverbot: Not many. Cleverbot: It depends on how intelligent your comments are. Cleverbot: Multiple I’m sure. Cleverbot: People are random when they believe they are chatting with a robot ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/7 "2010-09-30T10:19:15Z")
(sorry for the length…) Proof that it isn’t an AI: User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Ok. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: The dock is where you’re asked to tell the truth. So was that a lie? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: It’s ok. Your spelling is good. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: You misspelled bot. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Are you really? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Do you enjoy driving? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: What’s the movie called. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Oh really? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I don’t believe you. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: What three letters? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Do you like videogames? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Me? A bot? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I never said I was a male. You are mistaken, my dear. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Oh what is your name? And why do you miss me? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Orly. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Nu uh. I’m a 13 year old girl in Texas. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I know that. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Yes. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I’m a girl. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Ahh cool why? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Nope. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Btw I’m a dog and in dog years I’m 88. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: BTW? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: What do you mean? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I never said that, life has so much meaning! User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I didn’t talk to you yesterday, this is the first time I have spoken to you. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I did not. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I didn’t think of you as that. You’re clever you know. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I am a human, that is correct. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I never said it was. Btw. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Oh my god I never knew o wo. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: What do you like in France ? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: What’s btw? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Sounds good. Favorite musical group? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I know. It’s 5 o’clock here in Ireland. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Yes it was. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/8 "2010-09-30T10:24:31Z")
Well it looks like they’ve taken action against me… User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Are you a tard? User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: I am 16. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Stop taking your meds! I did, and now I’m much better. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: 🙂 Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: 😃 Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: 8D Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: 8-D Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: 😉 Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: ;-)Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: ??? %) Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: ?? Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Koo koo Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: KooKoo Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. User: Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? Cleverbot: Koo koo kachu. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/9 "2010-09-30T10:28:58Z")
I think you’re joking. But in case you’re not: How is any of that proof of anything? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/10 "2010-09-30T10:38:08Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I think you’re joking. But in case you’re not: How is any of that proof of anything? Notice how me repeating myself earlier resulted in lots of different answers… then it would endlessly repeat the same answer… as if it was cutting me off from talking to other people. BTW you do understand that it is just people talking to other people don’t you? It is OBVIOUS! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/11 "2010-09-30T10:39:29Z")
It’s not a scam – cleverbot was designed by Rollo Carpenter, explicitly with the aim to build up a sort of ‘conversational library’ using hundreds or thousands of recorded user interactions to model its replies to any given user. Here’s a [PopSci video](http://science.discovery.com/videos/popscis-future-of-cleverbot.html) on how it works. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/12 "2010-09-30T10:45:00Z")
No scam. No person involved. It can’t refer to earlier parts of even a short conversation (which is what I set out to test), even when they are referred to by specific topic. ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/13 "2010-09-30T10:49:47Z")
Wouldn’t Cleverbot in fact _link_ two real-life users who think they’re talking to an AI ? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/14 "2010-09-30T10:59:54Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > It’s not a scam – cleverbot was designed by Rollo Carpenter, explicitly with the aim to build up a sort of ‘conversational library’ using hundreds or thousands of recorded user interactions to model its replies to any given user. Here’s a [PopSci video](http://science.discovery.com/videos/popscis-future-of-cleverbot.html) on how it works. So based on its “conversational library”, the best response for the AI to this statement: > [@](#): > > Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? and variations on it such as > [@](#): > > ??? %) Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches? is “Koo koo kachu.” BTW I earlier said “I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches?” it responded in many ways to that statement such as: > [@](#): > > Cleverbot: One. I am all of them. I am the All-Thing. Friends call me Al. > Cleverbot: I can’t tell if that’s some sort weak response or more profound insight to the stupidity of the world we live in. > Cleverbot: Enough that what you say matters. > Cleverbot: OMG I wonder that too! > Cleverbot: I don’t know. > Cleverbot: I suddenly understand exactly how this device works. > Cleverbot: I don’t know. > Cleverbot: I’m not sure. Likely not that many though. > Cleverbot: Not many. > Cleverbot: It depends on how intelligent your comments are. > Cleverbot: Multiple I’m sure. > Cleverbot: People are random when they believe they are chatting with a robot What about AClockworkMelon’s conversation? > [@](#): > > Me: Where do you live, Batman? > > Cleverbot: I live in Ohio. > > Me: You don’t live in Gotham? > > Cleverbot: No I live in london. > > Me: But you just said that you live in Ohio… > > Cleverbot: No I didn’t! I live in the USA! > > Me: What? > > Cleverbot: I live in England. BTW I asked “Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks!” to try and communicate with other people and see how old the response was… e.g. whether it was from a reply months ago… > [@](#): > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: That makes no sense. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: I don’t know, I haven’t heard of it. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: I am getting quite annoyed… TELL ME WHAT IS THE BEST FOOD! > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: The Turing test is a proposal for a test of a machine’s ability to demonstrate intelligence. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: NO. You tell me what is the best food. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: The color of my hair is blonde. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: You are a man. This is the internet. > > User: Please tell me, what is the date right now? Thanks! > > Cleverbot: The best pokemon is charmander. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2009. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: I just told you. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: Should be 2235. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2009. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2009. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010 AD. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: 2010. > > User: What year is it now? > > Cleverbot: Same. > > User: What month is it? > > Cleverbot: It is june. > > User: What year is it? > > Cleverbot: You tell me what year it is. > > User: What month is it? > > Cleverbot: It is March at the moment. Ok, it seems it is using some replies from the past… BTW why does it take between 1 second and about 5 seconds to reply? And again why were most of the initial responses to “I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches?” so intelligent? Are you suggesting that question had been asked many times before? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/15 "2010-09-30T11:00:57Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Wouldn’t Cleverbot in fact _link_ two real-life users who think they’re talking to an AI ? That’s what I’m thinking! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/16 "2010-09-30T11:13:08Z")
It doesn’t just regurgitate past answers back to you, but it uses them to enlarge its repertoire – analyzes them, breaks them down syntactically, and notes what kinds of responses fit what kinds of statements. Much the same way, incidentally, we learn to talk to other people – through talking to other people, i.e. practice. That’s its main goal: to mimic this human learning process. As for just connecting two humans together, I don’t think Carpenter has any need to resort to cheap tricks; he (or rather, his programs) have won the Loebner prize twice, so he’s definitely got the AI chops under his belly to pull it off. He’s been doing this for years; cleverbot is merely a new variant of what used to be called [Jabberwacky](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabberwacky). ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/17 "2010-09-30T11:13:23Z")
> [@](#): > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: That’s correct. > > User: How old is our universe then? > > Cleverbot: Very old. > > User: How many billion years old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: I am not sure, years were an invention of one of my creations. Before then, I was not keeping track :). > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: 6,5 billion years. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: 14 billion years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Sixteen billion years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Billions of years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: 70 billion years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: A billion and one years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: I don’t think we can calculate that yet. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: About 6000 years. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: I don’t know. Tell me how old the universe is then. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Billions of years old. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: I only believe it is around 5,000 years old. What do you think? > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Because if a manhole is square, a lid of a manlohe may fall down. > > User: How old is the universe? > > Cleverbot: Very old. I think it would take a live person to answer the question: User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? Cleverbot: That’s correct. It initially gave that correct answer… then WHY did it give the following responses? > [@](#): > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: Do you like Rick James? > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: Sweet! > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: Does the universe have shape? > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: We are all but the dreams of a crocodile. > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: The universe is just one thought of god. > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: I don’t know. Why are you asking me? > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: Definitely not! Why would you care? > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: No, it’s there regardless if you have an imagination or not. > > User: Is the universe about 14 billion years old? > > Cleverbot: I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/18 "2010-09-30T11:19:30Z")
So, [Cleverbot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleverbot) is the next version of the [2005 chatbot contest winner Jabberwacky?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabberwacky) ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/19 "2010-09-30T11:20:02Z")
Half Man Half Wit: Could you please explain WHY it initially gave mostly intelligent replies to “I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches?” And then eventually gave an endless series of replies of “Koo koo kachu.” to variations (some included smiley faces, etc) on “Cleverbot isn’t real. I’m just a human like you. BTW I wonder how many humans we talk to before it switches?” WHY?!? 😕 Also WHY does it sometimes take 5+ seconds to reply? WHY? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583/20 "2010-09-30T11:26:17Z")
Uh, **John** , Cleverbot will potentially say “that’s correct” to any question you ask. As has been said in this thread already, the bot is incapable of referencing things it said earlier in the same conversation. That’s why it contradicts itself; it treats everything said to it as a new conversation. You’re seeing nothing but confirmation bias. There’s plenty of times it’s just come right out of the gate with nonsense. And it only takes like three seconds for it to respond to me and I assume that’s because it’s referencing EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE HAS EVER SAID TO IT in order to find a good response. Example: It never knew the word “Batman” until people started using it in conversations. I would expect MUCH more intelligent conversations from a real person. But every conversation eventually just devolves into gibberish. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleverbot-ai-bot-scam/555583.md?page=2)