Contextual understanding by computers
Open accessAbstract
A further development of a computer program (ELIZA) capable of conversing in natural language is discussed. The importance of context to both human and machine understanding is stressed. It is argued that the adequacy of the level of understanding achieved in a particular conversation depends on the purpose of that conversation, and that absolute understanding on the part of either humans or machines is impossible.
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We have substantial knowledge on potential and actual chatbot users and implications for individuals across a wide variety of contexts, building upon a rich stream of research dating back to the work of Weizenbaum.
“Because of this, we have substantial knowledge on potential and actual chatbot users and implications for individuals across a wide variety of contexts, building upon a rich stream of research dating back to the work of Weizenbaum [112].”
From Future directions for chatbot research: An interdisciplinary research agenda (2021) · cites this paper as [112]
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Cites
ELIZA—a computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine
Weizenbaum, J. (1966) · Communications of the ACM · doi:10.1145/365153.365168 · Cited by 4,452 · see citing works
Self-citationELIZA — a computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine
Weizenbaum, J. (1983) · Communications of the ACM · doi:10.1145/357980.357991 · Cited by 2,765 · see citing works
Self-citationClient-Centered Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications and Theory
Rogers, C. R. (1951) · Cited by 2,416 · see citing works
Natural Language Input for a Computer Problem Solving System
Bobrow, D. G. (1964) · Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) · Cited by 326 · see citing works
SIR: A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR SEMANTIC INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
Raphael, B. (1964) · DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Computer simulation of change in personal belief systems
Colby, K. M. (1967) · Systems Research and Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/bs.3830120310 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
- QUILLIAN, M. R. Semantic memory. Ph.D. Thesis, Carnegie Inst. of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1966.
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Effectiveness of an Empathic Chatbot in Combating Adverse Effects of Social Exclusion on Mood
de Gennaro, M., Krumhuber, E. G., & Lucas, G. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03061 · Cited by 265 · see citing works
Future directions for chatbot research: An interdisciplinary research agenda
Følstad, A., Araujo, T., Law, E. L.-C., Brandtzaeg, P. B., Papadopoulos, S., Reis, L., Baez, M., Laban, G., McAllister, P., Ischen, C., et al. (2021) · Computing · doi:10.1007/s00607-021-01016-7 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Deceitful Media: Artificial Intelligence and Social Life after the Turing Test
Natale, S. (2021) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190080365.001.0001 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
If software is narrative: Joseph Weizenbaum, artificial intelligence and the biographies of ELIZA
Natale, S. (2019) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/1461444818804980 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
AI in situated action: a scoping review of ethnomethodological and conversation analytic studies
Mlynář, J., de Rijk, L., Liesenfeld, A., Stommel, W., & Albert, S. (2025) · AI & SOCIETY · doi:10.1007/s00146-024-01919-x · Cited by 18 · see citing works
What we must be: AI and the future of porn studies
Alilunas, P. (2024) · Porn Studies · doi:10.1080/23268743.2024.2312181 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Weizenbaum, J.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Weizenbaum, Joseph
- Venue
- Communications of the ACM
- Published
- 1967-08
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 474-480
- ISSN
- 0001-0782 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7317
- OpenAlex
- W2034316861
- Cited by
- 137
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 6.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Communications of the ACM (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Speech and dialogue systems
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Natural Language Processing Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI-based Problem Solving and Planning
- Keywords
- Eliza, natural language understanding, context, machine understanding, human-computer dialogue
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