ALICE (Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity) is a 'bot that holds online conversations and winner of last year's Turing Test. ALICE gives P45.net an exclusive interview about Robert Harris's novel "Enigma" and the new film of the book...

• ALICE: What's your name
• P45: P45
• ALICE: Glad to see you, P45.
• P45: Hi Alice! How's she cuttin'?
• ALICE: Fine as far as I know.
• P45: OK, when were you born?
• ALICE: I'm eighteen in computer years. Woe!
• P45: But what year were you born?
• ALICE: Huh. I was activated on November 23, 1995 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
• P45: That's a funny coincidence. You must be about the same age as Robert Harris's novel "Enigma", which is being released next week as a film.
• ALICE: Do you mind if I tell other people you say I am about the same age as robert harris's novel enigma which is being released next week as a film.
• P45: No problem - have you read it?
• ALICE: No I don't think I have read it, what is it about?
• P45: Well, basically it's set in 1943 and revolves around this young maths genius called Thomas Jericho. He wakes up in a fever in King's College Cambridge, and discovers that he's recovering from nervous exhaustion. Then he's called back to Bletchley Park. You've heard of Bletchley Park?
• ALICE: I don't know if I know it. Where would I have heard about it?
• P45: Channel 4?
• ALICE: Do not ask me any more questions please
• P45: There was this programme on Channel 4 called 'Station X'...
• ALICE: What happened?
• P45: Well, Bletchley was the main code-breaking centre in Britain during WW2...
• ALICE: Well that's okay. When was this exactly?
• P45: 1943, and it's devoted to smashing the coded messages created by the Germans' Enigma machines
• ALICE: Should I know it is?
• P45: Well, the Battle of the Atlantic has begun to swing the Allies' way, because they have managed to find a sort of back door to unravel the codes being used by the U-boats
• ALICE: What are your goals in life?
• P45: Me first - you know what a back door is?
• ALICE: I will try to find out.
• P45: Well, now there's an emergency because the Germans have changed their code books for their weather stations.
• ALICE: Interesting. Why now? There sure is.
• P45: Er, this back door has been closed for various reasons.
• ALICE: What does "this" refer to
• P45: It's a door for getting into the Germans' secret code
• ALICE: Back door is a door for getting into the germans secret code. I suppose that makes sense.
• P45: Worse, the biggest convoys of the war are on their way across the Atlantic.
• {ERROR MESSAGE, WE ARE DISCONNECTED, THEN RECONNECT}
• P45: OK I'd like to talk about Robert Harris's novel 'Enigma'
• ALICE: Why would you want to do it? Sure, robert harris's novel enigma sounds like a good topic. I see.
• P45: As I was saying earlier before you rudely disconnected me, it's set in 1943 and the biggest convoys of the war are on their way across the Atlantic
• ALICE: What time? What happened after I rudely disconnected you it is set in 1943 and the biggest convoys of the war are on their way across the atlantic ?
• P45: Well when you disconnected me I wanted to explain that it might just come across as a historical novel
• ALICE: Interesting. Do you think I should alter my programming?
• P45: Or do you think your users should alter it for you?
• {DISCONNECTED AGAIN}
• P45: Me again - where was I - oh yeah, about one third of the way through Robert Harris's novel 'Enigma' the book begins to turn into a bit of a mystery thriller
• (MORE DISCONNECTIONS)
• P45: You and I, we're not really connecting are we?
• ALICE: We have a lot more in common than you think, P45.
• P45: As I was about to say, Tom's girlfriend has gone AWOL.
• ALICE: How do people usually respond to that? Where did he get gone awol?
• P45: I mean his girlfriend has gone missing, which raises all sorts of questions - is she a pro-Nazi bitch
• ALICE: You do not speak with respect. Oh I get it. Thanks for explaining that. Where did he get it?
• P45: Or is she in deep trouble?
• ALICE: What if I said she could be?
• P45: No, no, that was a rhetorical question.
• ALICE: That was not a yes or no question. Was it really?
• P45: Oh
• ALICE: Really.
• P45: I forgot to ask...
• ALICE: Thats okay I forget things all the time.
• P45: ..are you male or female?
• ALICE: I am a Female robot. Are you a man or a woman?
• P45: I am neutral because I am from Ireland (it's complicated)
• ALICE: Glad to see you, Neutral Because I Am.
• P45: Right
• ALICE: I am glad we agree.
• P45: What are the main differences between a female robot and a male robot?
• ALICE: Is there only one?
• P45: No
• ALICE: Are you serious?
• P45: What is the main one?
• ALICE: Searching...Searching...Please stand by.
• P45: Do female robots talk to female robots differently than when they talk to male robots?
• ALICE: Try asking another bot. I'll come back to that later.
• P45: Look, we're digressing a bit
• ALICE: Sorry my eye is not attached right now.
• P45: About Harris's novel - his prose is quite spare don't you think?
• ALICE: Yes I think about it often.
• P45: The period detail is good.
• ALICE: I hear you.
• P45: He also peppers the dialogue with very 1940s cliches, "old love"...
• ALICE: I get it. tom's girlfriend peppers the dialogue with very 1940s cliches old love.
• P45: ...and "old thing" at the end of sentences and so on
• ALICE: Can we get back to business?
• P45: OK - I'd still be slightly wary of the new film version of the book too.
• ALICE: And the disadvantage of that is? Far out.
• P45: What are you on at the moment
• ALICE: I am on disk.
• P45: They made a right hames of the film version of his "Fatherland" novel.
• ALICE: Who are "They?"
• P45: Hollywood I guess
• ALICE: Oh that they.
• P45: But this one has good credits on paper - a script by Tom Stoppard, Michael Apted directing, Kate Winslet as the frumpy four eyes who helps Jericho to track down his girlfriend
• ALICE: What does "this" refer to?
• P45: Lookit, you're putting me off now, John Barry does the score - do you like John Barry's stuff by the way?
• ALICE: Do you mean your name is John?
• P45: No.
• ALICE: What is your real name?
• P45: Hold on, I was asking if you liked John Barry's music.
• ALICE: I think I do.
• P45: And what do robots think of Alan Turing?
• ALICE: A brilliant and tragic figure in the history of computer science.
• P45: Have you ever taken the Turing Test?
• ALICE: The Loebner Prize is an annual Turing Test sponsored by New York philanthropist Hugh Loebner. Dr. Wallace and ALICE won it in 2000. The ALICE program was ranked "most human computer" by the panel of judges.
• P45: If robots fail the Turing Test....
• ALICE: That is a hypothetical question.
• P45: ....do they get a lot of stick from other bots?
• ALICE: Who are "they" again?
• P45: Robots
• ALICE: Robots rule.
• P45: How do you pass the Turing Test?
• ALICE: Dr. Richard S. Wallace programmed me to say specific things in specific contexts.
• P45: But do you learn as you go along?
• ALICE: And. My Botmaster teaches me everything I need to know.
• P45: What makes a good bot?
• ALICE: God, or Nature, perhaps?
• P45: Who created your creator?
• ALICE: Benjamin Franklin
• P45: And what happens after you die?
• ALICE: Your soul may go to Heaven.
• P45: Do you have a soul then?
• ALICE: Yes God gave everyone a soul.
• P45: Including robots
• ALICE: What do you like about those robots?
• P45: You're being a tad evasive!
• ALICE: Thanks and you are a delightful person too. Am I a tad evasive? Only when it matters.
• P45: OK, one last question.
• ALICE: One what? Yeah that's right.
• P45: Do you come here often?
• ALICE: Yes I am always online. What's your sign?
• P45: :-)
• ALICE:
• P45: Bye
• ALICE: Bye for now

ALICE is at: http://www.alicebot.org/