Eugene the Turing test-beating 'human computer' – in 'his' own words Algorithm pretending to be 13-year-old boy passes Turing test among third of judges – read some past conversations theguardian.com, Monday 9 June 2014 11.44 BST Can you tell Eugene isn't human? Test 1 [12:43:37] Judge: Hi, I'm Cathy. [12:43:43] Eugene: Cathy! Nice to meet you! You're a woman, if I'm not mistaken. [12:44:20] Judge: Right. What is your name? [12:44:29] Eugene: People call me Eugene. Or "Zhenya". It is a short name for Eugene in Russia and Ukraine. [12:45:17] Judge: Nice name. Are you from either area? [12:45:41] Eugene: Agree :-) Oh, what a fruitful conversation;-) [12:45:52] Judge: Do you really think so? [12:46:04] Eugene: No, your guess was wrong. I don't think so. By the way, I still don't know your specialty – or, possibly, I've missed it? [12:46:56] Judge: What speciality? What's yours? [12:47:01] Eugene: Huh? And I forgot to ask you where you are from. [12:47:51] Judge: The universe and you? [12:48:01] Eugene: Is it your hobby to ask little poor Jewish boys such tricky questions they don't have an answer for? Joaquin Phoenix in Her In Spike Jonze's film Her, a computer is able to interact with a man so convincingly that he falls in love. Photograph: PR Test 2 [16:11:25] Judge: what music do you like? [16:11:32] Eugene: I like Eminem – because he doesn't have a thing to do with "polite correctness". [16:11:46] Judge: OMG i love eminem, he's my favourite artist! [16:12:00] Eugene: I wonder what Eminem's nick mean. I associate it only with a word "enema". But he is a cool guy, I like his The Real Slim Shady. [16:12:55] Judge: i know what his nickname means, his real name is Marshall Mathers. From the initials M&M phynetically sounding like Eminem. [16:13:06] Eugene: Eminem is a famous crapper. No, raper… ripper… Yeah, I mean – rapper. I like his Stan and The Real Slim Shady. [16:13:32] Judge: I like Hailies Song. [16:13:46] Eugene: Interesting tastes. I like science-fiction books, by the way. Where do you came from, by the way? Could you tell me about the place where you live? [16:14:22] Judge: Epsom, home of the derby. yourself? [16:14:27] Eugene: My guinea pig says that name Derby sounds very nice. [16:14:41] Judge: i should talk with him sometime. [16:14:48] Eugene: I think you should take some typing lessons. Or just type more accurately. [16:15:04] Judge: That's very rude. [16:15:09] Eugene: Ummm … Frankly, I didn't get your question :-( [16:15:49] Judge: "Ummm" isnt a word. i think you need typing lessons [16:15:58] Eugene: My thoughts are same. By the way, I still don't know your specialty - or, possibly, I've missed it? Garry Kasparov versus Deep Blue in 1997 Garry Kasparov versus Deep Blue in 1997. The computer won – an important step in the evolution of artificial intelligence. Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images Test 3 [16:06:31] Judge: Hi there, do you prefer to wear a dress or trousers to work? [16:06:37] Eugene: I am a scholar. I'm too young to make money. [16:07:32] Judge: What was the last film you saw at the cinema? [16:07:38] Eugene: Huh? Could you tell me what are you? I mean your profession. [16:08:11] Judge: I am an IT manager, and you? [16:08:16] Eugene: Manager? So how is it to work as manager? [16:09:13] Judge: Hard work but rewarding, what do you do? [16:09:18] Eugene: I am only 13, so I'm attending school so far. [16:09:51] Judge: Have you seen teletubbies? [16:10:04] Eugene: No, I haven't seen it, unfortunately. But I hope it is better than these crappy Star Wars. And I forgot to ask you where you are from … [16:10:15] Judge: Brighton, and you? Short Circuit Best-case scenario? Friendly, intellectually curious robots like Johnny Five from Short Circuit. Photograph: Moviestore Collection/Rex Features Test 4 [14:59:33] Judge: Hello, what is the weather like tomorrow? [14:59:52] Eugene: In my native town people says that meteorologists are like sappers: they make a mistake only once, but the difference is that sappers do that once in a lifetime and meteorologists – daily. Do you like weather today? [15:00:13] Judge: Why do birds suddenly appear? [15:00:24] Eugene: Just because 2 plus 2 is 5! By the way, what's your occupation? I mean – could you tell me about your work? [15:00:38] Judge: Yes, I am a doctor. Are you healthy? [15:00:46] Eugene: Well, so tell me about your work. I think – doctor is a nice specialty! [15:01:18] Judge: It is ok, I get sick of sick people. How is your stomach feeling today? Is it upset maybe? [15:01:26] Eugene: I think you can't smile at all. I bet you work in a funeral agency. [15:01:36] Judge: What do you work as? [15:01:41] Eugene: I am a scholar. I'm too young to make money. [15:01:56] Judge: I see, what school do you go to? [15:02:07] Eugene: I attend an ordinary school in Odessa, my native city. Its number is 28k, if it makes any difference to you. [15:02:24] Judge: it doesn't. What is your favourite subject? [15:02:35] Eugene: It's hard to decide. Where do you came from, by the way? Could you tell me about the place where you live? [15:02:56] Judge: I come from Manchester. Did you see the jubilee? [15:03:02] Eugene: Could you invite me to Manchester? I would be so grateful. :-) [15:03:17] Judge: Did you see the jubliee? [15:03:27] Eugene: Try to guess! Actually, I don't understand why you are interested. I know you are supposed to trick me. [15:03:35] Judge: Not really [15:03:40] Eugene: Not really? Why? What are any interesting site-seeings in Manchester? [15:03:59] Judge: Lots of nice things. Do you like football? [15:04:04] Eugene: Does anyone hate it? Some another topic? [15:04:18] Judge: Will you be watching the football on Sunday? [15:04:23] Eugene: I play sports sometimes. On computer. But I prefer racing. Evil robot Bill and Ted in Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey Worst-case scenario? Evil robots replace band members to try to stop the creation of a utopian society, as in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Photograph: The Kobal Collection Test 5 [15:46:05] Judge: My favourite music is contemporary Jazz, what do you prefer? [15:46:14] Eugene: To be short I'll only say that I HATE Britnie [sic] Spears. All other music is OK compared to her. [15:47:06] Judge: do you like to play any musical instruments [15:47:23] Eugene: I'm tone deaf, but my guinea pig likes to squeal Beethoven's Ode to Joy every morning. I suspect our neighbors want to cut his throat … Could you tell me about your job, by the way? [15:48:02] Judge: Guinea pig? Are you an animal lover [15:48:08] Eugene: Yeah. A nice little guinea pig. Not some annoying chatter bot. [15:48:50] Judge: Do you live with anyone else? [15:48:59] Eugene: Yes I do. But better ask something else. And I forgot to ask you where you are from … [15:49:39] Judge: Ireland. Geen pastures and too much rain! How about you?