Skype is Getting Cortana and Crazy Bot Messaging (theverge.com)

An anonymous reader writes: During its Build conference, Microsoft demoed how Skype users would be able to book trips, shop, and plan their schedule, just by chatting with Cortana. "Cortana is brokering the conversation with a third-party bot," says Lilian Rincon, Skype's program manager. Essentially, Skype will know which company or service you want to talk to, bring a new bot into your chat to help out, and then get rid of the bot when you're done. Video bots may also be in the works as Rincon mentioned, "We will also be bringing intelligence into real-time video." The new features are very similar to Facebook's "Messenger Bot Store," which the company announced at F8. Facebook's AI-powered assistant, called M, would enable Messenger users to make purchases, restaurant reservations, and travel bookings within the messaging interface, similar to Cortana but with more human input.

Comments

Bias

[johnsmithperson123]

Q. Cortana, how do I install Windows 10 on my computer? A. Here's how: (switches over to Windows 10 install bot) Hmm. Q. Cortana, how do I install Windows 7 on my computer? A. Here's how to install Windows: (Switches over to Windows 10 install bot) Wait a second... Q. Cortana, where can I buy a Mac? A. I'm not sure what you're talking about, but if you meant "where to buy a Windows Phone" (switches over to Microsoft Store bot) Hold on.... Q. Cortana, how do I install Debian? A. Error: Customer 11-784-9281 is about to leave Windows 10. Close the blast doors. Repeat, close the blast doors. Q. Uuhh.. *Explosion*

Sounds like a giant pain in the ass

[brunes69]

I actually just went through this today. I have a trip I am going on for which my company forced me to go through a travel agency. This resulted in a 20 minute conversation with a travel agent to describe and book a flight plan that took me less than 30 seconds to do on Google Flights. All I wanted to do was click the "buy" button, but no, I had to engage in this mindless conversation.

Not all tasks need conversations. In fact, most tasks are much easier and simpler to do with a mouse or keyboard. The few tasks that do require conversations, are also the complicated requests typically require humans and no bot can handle them today.

Re: Sounds like a giant pain in the ass

[Anonymous Coward]

Your examples are short and recurring activities. You can create a shortcut for that. Think of going through buying a laptop where you have all these different options. It would be painful.

Furthermore you have to be in an environment without interference. It would be interesting to see some usage statistics on cortana, siri, and 'ok google'. I was excited about them at first, but now never really use them.

Telemarketer troll bot?

[mspohr]

Do they have something which could keep a telemarketer occupied for 45 minutes or so? I could totally get behind that.

Tone-deaf

[jtara]

Microsoft's tone-deafness today is astounding!

Right on the heals of a SECOND embarrassing public failure of their idiotic haywire 'bot, now they've announced how it's going to save the world and obsolete sliced-bread.

You'd think there would be somebody in the right position and with the common sense to cancel those unfortunate announcements, and quickly book some entertainment (maybe clowns... yes, chair-throwinxxxxxx er, balloon-animal-making clowns) to fill the conference slots vacated.

Did I miss something? Did Donald Trump take a position at Microsoft?

Re:Microsoft day on Slashdot

[whipslash]

The MSFT developers conference started today