The History of Chatbot Software and How It’s Used Today

The First Chatbot Software: ELIZA.

The first chatbot software was created in 1966 by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum. His bot, called ELIZA, was based on the Rogerian style of psychotherapy. ELIZA would mimic human conversation by responding to statements with questions. For example, if a user said “I’m feeling sad,” ELIZA might respond with “Why do you think you’re feeling sad?”While ELIZA was a groundbreaking achievement, she was far from perfect. Users quickly realized that they could trick ELIZA into giving nonsensical responses by repeating their statements back to her in a different form. However, ELIZA did pave the way for future chatbot development.

The Introduction of AI:

Jabberwacky In 1988, artificial intelligence (AI) was added to the chatbot mix with the creation of Jabberwacky. Created by British scientist Rollo Carpenter, Jabberwacky was designed to hold conversations with humans. To do this, Jabberwacky used a learning algorithm that allowed her to understand and respond to new inputs over time.Jabberwacky was an early example of what we now call a “learning bot.” These types of bots are designed to get better at their task the more they interact with humans. Today, learning bots are used in all sorts of industries, from customer service to healthcare. Chatbots Today: Popular Uses and Applications Nowadays, there are all sorts of chatbots on the market. We interact with chatbots when we have customer support issues, when we’re looking for specific inventory at an e-commerce shop, and when we need a status update on an order.

Here are some higher education use cases for chatbots:

•        Academic advising

•        Appointment scheduling

•        Lead generation

Have you ever wondered how chatbot software came to be? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of chatbot software and how it’s evolved over the years. We’ll also explore some of the different ways that chatbots are used today. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

As you can see, chatbot software has come a long way since it first appeared on the scene in 1966. What started as a simple program has evolved into a complex tool that is used in all sorts of industries today. Thanks to continued advances in technology, it seems likely that chatbots will only become more prevalent in the years to come. Who knows what kinds of new and exciting applications we’ll see for chatbots in the future!

Ready to connect with your students & prospects?
Start Your Free Trial Today.