AI Lab · by Nour Ali · 2026-09-01
The history behind ELIZA is surprisingly human after 8 tries
en.wikipedia.org
This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. prompts got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.
This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. prompts got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.
I tried this in Madrid with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.
I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.
121 sparks · 26 comments
Comments
Jonas Schneider · 75 likes
Honestly, great taste. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.
Noah Miller · 7 likes
@lanternMender86 Respectfully, I see it the other way.
Élodie Favre · 2 likes
@lanternMender86 Appreciate the nuance.
Ayesha Khan · 46 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. For me it came down to the route.
Noah Miller · 25 likes
I get the appeal, though I would be careful calling it the best option. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.
Bilal Raza · 18 likes
This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. My friend tried it in Buenos Aires and had the opposite result.
Ananya Rao · 1 likes
Thanks for making it less intimidating.
Bilal Raza · 1 likes
This is the gentle version of my rant.
Maya Putri · 17 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. It sounds small, but the setup matters.
Amina Okafor · 13 likes
Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. The social part surprised me too.
Huy Le · 8 likes
Love the tiny experiment energy. I would test it for 8 days before deciding.
Hugo Martin · 3 likes
Really good advice, and it feels doable.
Paper Atlas · 3 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. I noticed the same thing in Berlin.
Giulia Rossi · 2 likes
The vibe here is immaculate. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a coworking table.
Mariam Said · 3 likes
This is the gentle version of my rant.
Urban Otter · 2 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Narin Chai · 2 likes
This is one of those ideas that looks great online and falls apart on Tuesday. The the library detail changes the whole answer.
Camila Soto · 1 likes
I am saving this for the next time I overthink eliza. For me it came down to the practice run.
Olena Shevchenko · 1 likes
Glad you shared it; small wins count. I learned that one the expensive way. A small test case would make this easier to trust.
Pablo Martín · 1 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.
Benjamín Rojas · 2 likes
Good clarification — I read it differently at first.
Noé Petit · 0 likes
You explained the tradeoff really clearly. I would test it for 10 days before deciding.