[squarebear]

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!

[Art]

Steve,

I thought that Dave Morton was organizing a new competition and had basically taken over the Chatterbox Challenge (with a different name of course).
Perhaps things have changed or he is unable to devote needed amount of time.

At any rate, good luck with it as it needs to be kept alive in order to help advance the field.

All the best!!

[Data]

Steve,

Congratulations on the judging method, I really like the idea of a knockout table system, in fact it all sounds good.

Personally I think this is the type of competition that should help chat bots head in the right direction, top marks.

As Art said, Mr Morton has taken control of what was the Chatterbox Challenge, I don’t know if you two have been communicating with each other or if this is a new venture, would like to know a little more on that.

I would also like to help in any way that I can, if you like you could post this topic over on my site, the site isn’t dedicated to Ai but we do get people interested in Ai visiting, you never know you might pick up a competitor or two from it.

Best of luck   

[squarebear]

This is a brand new contest and unrelated to the Chatterbox Challenge. It was something I was planning for a few months before I knew the CBC was no more and my recent disappointment at the Loebner Prize this year prompted me to put it online now.

I see no reason why we can't have several competitions running for chatbots.

[squarebear]

I would also like to help in any way that I can, if you like you could post this topic over on my site, the site isn’t dedicated to Ai but we do get people interested in Ai visiting, you never know you might pick up a competitor or two from it.

Thanks Data, I've done that but the forum has blanked out the link. Do you fancy editing it back in for me?

[Freddy]

Sounds great 

Got any banners we can put up ?  A vertical one would be nice to go down the right hand side.  Or square, like the ones we have for the Member's Projects area.

[Data]

Thanks Data, I've done that but the forum has blanked out the link. Do you fancy editing it back in for me?

Link mended 

[squarebear]

Thanks Data 

Freddy, I will try to design a banner.

[squarebear]

Got any banners we can put up ?  A vertical one would be nice to go down the right hand side.  Or square, like the ones we have for the Member's Projects area.

It looks like your sidebar graphics are 200x200 pixels, so I have uploaded a 200 x 200 jpg here: http://www.square-bear.co.uk/cbb/cbb200x200.jpg
If you could get it to link to http://www.chatbotbattles.com that would be great. Thanks for your support.

[Freddy]

Great thanks - all done 

[squarebear]

You're a star. Thanks for your support.

[Freddy]

No problem.  I just got around to adding the banner to the Chatterbot Collection too - right hand side.

I also added an entry for you there too, you should see it at the top of the home page now.  I used the text from your site, hope that's okay.

[squarebear]

Perfect. Thanks again Freddy for all your support.

As an aside, are you going to the Loebner Contest next week?

[Freddy]

Wow that came round quick, I had no idea it was next week - I thought it was in the Autumn again.  Unfortunately not, I've got a few things to sort out here that got delayed when I got ill.  Also an outside chance I might be going to see my sister.  Besides I blew all my pocket money on a SSD the other week 

We better get some questions together really.

Are you going ?  Great place to visit I imagine.

[squarebear]

Yes I am going again. My wife is coming along this time so we can look round Bletchley Park. Shame you aren't going, it would have been good to meet you in person. Dr Wallace will be attending too.