Calling all botmasters!

Sadly, the Chatterbox Challenge is no longer with us and the conditions for entering the Loebner Prize are prohibitive to most botmasters (especially to those outside the USA). This has left no way for most people with a chatbot to compare its performance against others.

To remedy this, I would like to announce the first in a series of Chatbot Battles, in which each entrant goes head to head with opponents in a league table/knockout format similar to the soccer World Cup. The main difference between this and other contests held in the past is that each entrant is judged on both question and answering abilities and also on how well they can carry out a normal conversation. Also, the bots do not have to pretend they are human to score extra marks. All chatbots are welcome to enter, whether they be web-based, downloadable, chatroom based or even Android apps.

Unfortunately, I do not have a sponsor and so the contest is currently just for bragging rights and kudos, although I may give some small prizes like T-shirts, mousemats and mugs away to the winners. If you would like to sponsor the competition, please contact me.

The closing date for entries is 1st June 2012 and the battles will start shortly afterwards.

Find out more at http://www.chatbotbattles.com

Let battle commence!

I think I should have a small web-based version of the android app running by then.

Nice to see there is progress with the new competition.

Jan, if the app is downloadable, I am planning to test them on my phone.

This is unrelated to Dave’s topic about starting a new contest and is something I was planning on doing for a few months before I knew the CBC was ending. I see no reason why we can’t have a few contests for chatbots.

The main reason for putting it online now was due to the CBC ending and also my disappointment at the Loebner Prize this year, especially as this is the Turing centenary year and will be even more in the public eye.

You can use the android app, but I can’t yet put the full wordnet version on that (too big for downloads, and the android app itself isn’t running smoothly enough for this yet), all of this is in the works, but won’t be ready by June. I think a web-based version is currently easier for me to put together for a contest like this. Also for you I think: copying the text from the android isn’t built into it yet, but it’s easy from the html, there is no installation, or download or anything,..

This is unrelated to Dave’s topic about starting a new contest

Ohh, I see, I was wondering what had happened there.

and also my disappointment at the Loebner Prize this year, especially as this is the Turing centenary year and will be even more in the public eye

That, I can understand.

wow. even more contests… good to hear about all this activity!

let me know if I can be of help…

Thanks Erwin. I wanted a contest that was accessible to all without the prohibitive conditions of the Loebner Prize and it’s getting a bit of interest so far. My main aim before it starts is to try and find a sponsor to give it a more competitive edge but if not, they entrants can compete for a few throwaway goodies.

I’m in and I look forward to participating. And Steve ignore the critics. There is always someone out there that gets pleasure in trying to discredit your efforts. They tried the same tactics when I first started the CBC but they failed. If anything it made me more determined. I ran the CBC for 12 years. I never charged anyone to participate. Through sponsors and donations I raised over 15,000 that was given away as prize money. I left the contest on my own terms and in good standing. No one forced me out. I encourage all botmasters to enter. Let the battles begin.

Thanks for your support Wendell. I was saddened to see the end of the CBC, as it was great for me to be able to work to a deadline.

I was rather shocked to see that someone on the Robitron boards had decided that I was using this contest as a vehicle to make my own bot a winner. Had he even checked the site out, he would have seen on the news page that I am will not be entering any of my bots in this.

Some folks just aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about something!

I think your chatbot battles are a great idea, Steve! I say Bring it!

And for those of us who may be thinking that this will cancel out any plans I’ve been working on for a new chatbot competition, you can rest assured that this is not the case. I’m still very much working on organizing the competition that we’ve all been discussing; I’ve just been so heavily buried in family related things that I’ve not been able to sit at my computer for more than a couple of minutes at a time, lately. Once Grandma’s garden, the pond, and the various “spring cleaning” tasks have all been set to rights, I’ll be getting back to business. I expect that the timeframe will be only a week or two before I’m able to work on the contest again, so don’t fret if you see no progress for a short while.

Thanks Dave,

I certainly didn’t intend this to be in conflict with your plans but after the frustration with the Loebner Prize this year, I wanted to get this contest online asap to take my mind off it.

Steve, I checked the site. 

It’s awesome !  I look forward to entering, but it won’t be soon, probably a year or two though.

Great job though !!

Also Dave, I look forward to details on your competition.

Thanks Victor. The twist is that the bots will be judged in free flowing conversation as well as the usual Q&A type interviews. I received my first app entry the other day, which I was pleased about. I have also had contact from someone representing over 600 mobile developers and so hopefully a few of them will enter.

I just need a sponsor for some decent prizes now.

Just to let everyone know that Decadent Vapours (the sponsor of the CBC) have kindly donated $100 in prize money with a view to sponsoring it fully next year, if it is a success. I have also received £50 from someone who prefers to remain anonymous.

I have 24 entries in the contest so far, which is enough to run a league but please consider entering if you haven’t already done so. The format of the contest caters for as many bots as wish to take part.

Steve Worswick - May 21, 2012:

Just to let everyone know that Decadent Vapours (the sponsor of the CBC) have kindly donated $100 in prize money with a view to sponsoring it fully next year, if it is a success. I have also received £50 from someone who prefers to remain anonymous.

Nice! It’s a start! In the future, we should be able to sponsor these kind of initiatives financially, but for the time being, just feel my support from the heart .

Thanks for the support Erwin. It was great to meet you earlier at the Loebner Prize.
I have 30 bots entered in it so far, which is great. Still room for more though folks.

Don’t forget it’s the last day to enter today. We have 35 bots so far taking part but there’s still room for more if you wish to make a last minute entry. Remember, each botmaster can enter up to 3 bots.
http://www.chatbotbattles.com