GoKawiilELIZAGen project applies biology's phylogenetics tools to ELIZA chatbot code history
A research effort called ELIZAGen is building a family tree of ELIZA chatbot implementations by treating them as biological specimens rather than comparing source code directly. Researchers encode 27 versions spanning 1965-2025 across eight languages using 13 binary architectural features, then analyze the resulting matrix with PAUP*, software standard in evolutionary biology. The work is detailed in a December 2025 draft paper by Jeff Shrager titled 'Reconstructing Program Genealogies from Abstract Program Descriptions: The ELIZA Case Study.'
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Software lacks the physical continuity biologists rely on for tracing lineage, so this approach suggests a method for reconstructing history from functional traits when direct textual descent can't be traced. If successful, the technique could offer a template for studying the evolution of other long-lived, frequently reimplemented software beyond ELIZA. The project remains explicitly a work in progress, so its methodology and conclusions are not yet finalized.
- ELIZAGen catalogs 27 ELIZA implementations from 1965 to 2025 across eight programming languages.
- Each program is scored on 13 abstract architectural features rather than compared by source code text.
- The project repurposes PAUP*, a biological parsimony analysis tool, to build software family trees.
ELIZA: The Classic AI Chatbot Book — If the deep history of ELIZA fascinates you, exploring the original writings and histories around Weizenbaum's creation adds great context to this phylogenetic project. It's a perfect companion for anyone diving into the roots of conversational AI and the evolution of chatbot architectures.
See ELIZA: The Classic AI Chatbot Book on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: elizagen.org, 2026-10-12
Published there as: “The Genealogy of Eliza”
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