Bot suggests TV shows based on group chats

MurdochBot uses IBM's sentiment algorithm, Sky TV viewer data and users' conversations to offer entertainment recommendations.

Instant messaging app Telegram is growing in popularity with its multi-platform integration and encrypt-able P2P messaging. Telegram programming has an open API so users can add bots into chats, and one such feature is MurdochBot, which hopes to suggest TV shows users will like.

Murdochbot is an AI protocol that uses sentiment-analyzing algorithms developed by IBM, in combination with Sky TV’s archive of viewer data. Users first add MurdochBot into any conversation, and it will ask them a few basic questions about their favorite TV shows. The bot then monitors the content to understand not only what kind of shows users will like, but also in what context and times they would like to hear about them, learning more as conversations develop. Founder Ben Dixon believes that analyzing natural conversations will give businesses a better idea as to what consumers want. Unveiled at the TechCrunch Disrupt London Hackathon this year, Murdochbot has yet to reveal development plans.

As instant messaging eclipse social media by offering more personal connectedness, a new space is created for data-mining and delivering content. How could companies make the most of this opportunity, while providing users with autonomy over their privacy?