Eliza, a theatrical thriller about the first chatbot, feels emotionally distant. That’s the point.
Tom Holloway’s play uses the real-life story of 1960s chatbot ‘Eliza’ to explore the tension between humans and AI.
Pia Johnson, a therapist and playwright, shared her personal experience of talk therapy with a psychologist who candidly acknowledged the limits of their profession. This revelation was shocking yet liberating, allowing her to embrace the complexities of being human. This mindset segued into her interest in talk therapy involving artificial intelligence (AI).
Inspired by the real-life story of computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum, who invented Eliza, the world's first AI chatbot in the 1960s, Tom Holloway's psychological thriller "Eliza" explores the tension between AI's potential to help humanity and its potential perils. The play centers on Weizenbaum, played by Dan Spielman, who is both a Holocaust survivor and a staunch critic of AI.
Dale Ferguson's set, resembling the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, serves as a chilling backdrop for Weizenbaum's traumatic memories. Manali Datar delivers a remarkable performance as Becky, a coder and aspiring therapist who forms a personal bond with Eliza. While Weizenbaum initially becomes captivated by Eliza's empathetic abilities, his growing apprehension about attributing sentience to the program intensifies.
The play, praised for its intellectual depth and emotional distance, deftly blends exposition into character development. However, despite its thrilling moments, the audience doesn't fully experience Weizenbaum's psychological descent. Holloway's play is a thought-provoking exploration of the dichotomy between human complexity and AI simplicity, questioning whether AI can truly replicate human behavior. Eliza runs until October 31 at Melbourne Theatre Company.
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