The First Chatbot's Unexpected Emotional Impact

In 1966, at MIT, computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum created Eliza, the first chatbot. It was a simple program that mimicked a therapist by mirroring user statements. However, Weizenbaum was shocked by how users formed deep emotional connections with Eliza, confiding personal secrets. "People cried with her and felt seen by her," says one user in the video. This unexpected outcome highlighted the potential of AI to connect with humans on an emotional level, a concept still relevant in today's AI landscape.