Loebner 2008

Hugh Loebner has "announced" - in an email to the Robitron group, that the 2008 Loebner Prize for Artificial Intelligence:

"will almost certainly be held at University of Reading, Reading, England on Oct 12 in conjunction with a computer conference to be held there at the same time."

He goes on with:

"There are a few details which Professor Kevin Warwick and Huma will have to decide. Perhaps the members might want to comment, I am sure that Huma and Kevin would be interested in your input.

1. Must the contestants be on site during the contest? I can not operate the judging program and the contestants' programs at the same time. I learned this in 2005. If UoR personnel are available to run the programs, then I assume it will not be necessary for contestants to be on site. If UoR personnel are not available, then entrants, or their reps, will have to be there.

2. Dates for applications, selection, etc. If the contestants do not need to be on site, then it is possible that the selection process for the finals can be part of the conference, perhaps the day before the contest. Again, this is up to Kevin and Huma.

3. I presume that Loebner Prize Protocol will be used. If another protocol is specified by Professor Warwick, that's ok with me, but I will be nothing more than a spectator at the competition.

In any case, the announcement for the 2008 competition with rules, will be made no later than Nov 15, 2007. "

Good old Hugh! (completely ignoring 'behind the scenes' emails between us)

(November 4, 2007)