A chatterbot, developed by ActiveBuddy, Inc., available for AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and Windows Live Messenger
Why I loved it then: I tried to stump it. I tried to stump it again. And SmarterChild always won. SmarterChild was intelligent, sassy, and entertaining.
Why I love it now: SmarterChild started a ripple effect. The account led to targeted bots for brands from Radiohead to Austin Powers. In addition to sparking the creation of other accounts, SmarterChild also grew itself. SmarterChild expanded to include instant access to news, weather, stock information, movie times, yellow page listings, and detailed sports data. Additionally, SmarterChild had the ability to perform various functions - from a personal assistant, to a calculator. Many say SmarterChild was a precursor to Siri. The idea to include natural language processing in instant messaging and SMS platforms was brilliant.
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