FreeHAL was a volunteer computing project to build a self-learning chatbot.

[1] Originally, the program was called JEliza referring to the chatbot ELIZA by Joseph Weizenbaum.

[2] FreeHAL uses a semantic network and technologies like pattern recognition, stemming, part of speech databases and Hidden Markov Models in order to imitate a human behaviour.

[3] By using the BOINC platform, new semantic networks for the program are built.

In 2008, the program won the first prize in the category "Most Popular" at the Chatterbox Challenge, a yearly competition between different similar chatbots.