Smarterchild was a popular chatbot program in the early 2000s that seemed revolutionary at the time for chatbot technology.

When it was released, it quickly became popular on platforms like AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger, and it could respond to a variety of questions and commands.

Although, like most other preteens, I personally used it as a vessel for verbal insults and random questions that made no sense at the time.

Nowadays, with AI technology and chatbots so frequently found online and platforms like Chat GPT are all the rage – it brings us back to wondering what ever happened to our chatbot buddy from AIM.

Does Smarterchild Still Exist?

SmarterChild, the popular chatbot from the early 2000s, was eventually retired in 2008. The chatbot was developed by ActiveBuddy and was initially available on several instant messaging platforms, including AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger.

SmarterChild was a popular chatbot due to its ability to respond to a wide range of questions and commands, including providing information on weather, sports, and news, playing games, and even engaging in conversation.

However, with the rise of smartphones and mobile messaging apps, the popularity of desktop-based instant messaging began to decline, and the need for a chatbot like SmarterChild became less relevant.

Despite its retirement, SmarterChild’s technology and legacy live on. The company that developed SmarterChild, ActiveBuddy, eventually rebranded as Conversive and shifted its focus to developing chatbot technologies for businesses. Additionally, LivePerson, Inc. acquired the technology behind SmarterChild, and has since continued to develop conversational AI technologies and platforms for use in customer service, marketing, and other applications.

But, what exactly was Smartchild and how did it work?

What is Smarterchild from AIM?

SmarterChild was an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by ActiveBuddy, Inc.

It was designed to be integrated into the popular instant messaging service AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and provided users with a range of interactive services such as weather updates, news alerts, and even simple games. The chatbot was one of the first AI-powered virtual assistants to gain widespread popularity among consumers.

SmarterChild was a text-based chatbot that could interact with users in real-time using natural language processing technology. Users could initiate a conversation with SmarterChild by sending it a message on AIM and it would respond with helpful information or engage in friendly banter.

The chatbot was programmed with a vast database of information, which allowed it to provide users with relevant answers to their queries.

One of the most unique features of SmarterChild was its ability to understand and respond to a wide range of natural language inputs. Users could type in their queries in a conversational style, and the chatbot would respond in a similar manner, making the interaction feel more human-like. This made SmarterChild a popular choice among users who were looking for a fun and interactive way to get information.

SmarterChild’s capabilities were not limited to just providing information. It was also programmed with a range of entertainment features such as games and quizzes. Users could challenge the chatbot to a game of trivia or engage in a game of hangman, among other things.

Overall, SmarterChild was a groundbreaking development in the field of AI-powered chatbots. Its popularity demonstrated the potential of virtual assistants to provide helpful and engaging experiences for users. While the technology has come a long way since the days of SmarterChild, the chatbot remains a significant milestone in the evolution of AI-powered virtual assistants and was iconic for the culturally-popular AOL Instant Messaging platform.

Why did AIM Shut Down?

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) became a cultural phenomenon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, with the rise of social media platforms and mobile messaging apps, AIM began to lose its relevance and popularity in the late 2000s.

In 2017, after more than 20 years of operation, AOL announced that it would be discontinuing AIM. The company cited a decline in usage and the availability of newer messaging platforms as the reason for the shutdown.

The discontinuation of AIM marked the end of an era in the world of instant messaging. For many people who grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s, AIM was a staple of their online social lives. It was one of the first platforms to offer features like buddy lists, status updates, and file sharing, which are now commonplace on social media and messaging apps.

Today, there are many other messaging platforms available, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack, that offer similar features to AIM and have become even more integrated into people’s daily lives. However, for those who remember the early days of the internet, AIM will always hold a special place in their hearts as one of the pioneers of the modern instant messaging era (and for that preteen chatbot that was subject to way too much verbal abuse).