Eliza

Eliza is one of the earliest computer programs designed to simulate conversation with humans. Developed in the 1960s, it uses simple pattern-matching techniques to recognize keywords in a user's input and then responds with pre-written responses that mimic human-like dialogue. For example, if you mention feeling anxious, Eliza might reply with questions or statements related to that emotion, encouraging further interaction. While it doesn't understand or process meaning like a person, Eliza demonstrated how computers could engage in basic conversational exchanges and laid the groundwork for future chatbots and natural language processing technologies.