Last week, Microsoft's Twitter chatbot named Tay made headlines after it started spouting racist quips and other offensive remarks. Launched as part of Microsoft's ongoing thrust toward artificial intelligence and free, casual conversation as a platform, Tay was supposed to be a field experiment for the tech giant's AI.
Thanks to internet trolls, however, it did not take long before Tay turned into a notorious, insensitive machine, tweeting racist and conspiracy-ridden statements through her interactions. It did not take long before Microsoft decided to pull the plug on the ill-fated chatbot. While Tay's failure was quite notable, Microsoft remains steadfast in its drive toward fostering artificial intelligence.
As it turns out, Tay's fate was but one step toward Microsoft's goal. According to reports, the tech giant is set to unveil a number of prototype bots at its annual build conference on Thursday. Each bot would be programmed specifically for certain tasks, but all of them, just like the ill-fated Tay, would be using what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella calls "conversation as a platform."
Using the platform, users would be able to interact freely with the programmed bots using everyday, natural language. Through words that are either typed or spoken, the bots would be able to complete a number of programmed tasks.
Among Microsoft's bots, Tay is the one which is programmed with only interaction and communication in mind. The company's other bots, on the other hand, are a lot more useful, with some acting as the user's interface with computers and smartphones, as well as complete simple tasks such as ordering a meal from an app.
Lili Cheng, who runs the Microsoft research lab where the company's bots are developed, stated that the tech firm is creating numerous bots with different personalities and uses. According to Cheng, Microsoft is aiming for a future that is dominated by chats with bots, instead of today's interactions through apps.
In fact, a lot of companies are already integrating the use of AI with their systems. After all, the explosion of popularity among virtual assistants such as Siri is quite notable. Today, Amazon's hit AI device, the Echo, populate households and corporate messaging service Slack has bots that allow users to manage their expenses.
Then again, Microsoft has a pretty notable reputation when it comes to its mainstream bots. Back in the '90s, the tech giant was responsible for arguably the world's most mundane virtual assistant, Clippy, whose limited use and capabilities were ridiculed by PC users for years. Just like Tay, however, Clippy might very well be considered the grandfather of Microsoft's bots today.
Looking at Microsoft's stance on AI, it would not be surprising at all if a modern iteration of Clippy would make an appearance at the company's annual build conference.
