Before ChatGPT, Siri, Alexa, and all the AI tools we hear about today, there was ELIZA — one of the first chatbot programs ever created.
ELIZA was developed in the 1960s and was designed to mimic a therapist by turning a person’s statements into questions. For example, if someone typed, “I’m feeling tired,” ELIZA might respond with, “Why do you think you’re feeling tired?”
Simple? Yes. Groundbreaking? Absolutely.
And here’s the funny part: even though ELIZA didn’t truly “understand” anything, many people still felt like they were having a real conversation.
Maybe the lesson is this: technology changes, but people still want the same thing — to feel heard, understood, and connected.
At Good People, we believe relationships still matter most. AI may help us move faster, write smarter, and organize better, but it will never replace the value of a real conversation with good people.