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Microsoft Touts Breakthrough In Making Chatbots More Conversational (windowscentral.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the big-step-forward dept.

In a blog post today, Microsoft said that it has created what it believes is the "first technological breakthrough" toward making conversations with chatbots more like speaking to another person. Windows Central reports: Microsoft says that it has figured out how to make chatbots talk and listen at the same time, allowing them to operate in "full duplex," to use telecommunications jargon. The company says this allows chatbots or assistants to have a flowing conversation with humans, much more akin to how people talk to one another. That stands in contrast to how digital assistants and bots currently work, where only one side can talk at any given time. The technology is already up and running in Xiaolce, Microsoft's AI chatbot currently operating in China. Using "full duplex voice sense," as Microsoft calls it, Xiaolce can more quickly predict what the person it is speaking to will say. "That helps her make decisions about both how and when to respond to someone who is chatting with her, a skill set that is very natural to people but not yet common in chatbots," Microsoft says. Another bonus of the breakthrough is that people interacting with chatbots don't have to use a "wake word" every time they speak during a conversation.

101 comments

  1. don't have to use a "wake word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well yeah, they're always recording everything you say, the wake word is just for show.

    1. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well yeah, they're always recording everything you say, the wake word is just for show.

      You still use the "wake word" to initiate the conversation. You just don't have to say it again at the beginning of each sentence during an ongoing conversation.

      These home assistants use regular Wifi, and you can monitor the packets they transmit and receive. There is no evidence that they are "recording everything you say". If they were caught doing that (and they would almost certainly get caught), they would face ruinous criminal charges and civil penalties, along with a PR disaster that would far outweigh any possible benefit. Go find a better conspiracy theory to glom onto.

    2. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by Mnemennth · · Score: 1

      These home assistants do record and store a considerable buffer locally, which the service can access at any time remotely.

      mnem
      Remember the fuss our NSA had over Furby? Now we're at Frrby Freakout Level... until they get the keys.

    3. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by RazorSharp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm not concerned that the record everything I say currently, but I am concerned that they may do so in the future. It will probably start with making different words "wake words," such as things the government might be interested in.

      I avoided smart phones as long as I could because I try to avoid problematic technologies. And even though my iPhone is encrypted and Apple says the right things about privacy, it still makes me uncomfortable. It's gotten to the point where mentioning dystopias such as 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 has become redundant and cliche, but the reason those comparisons are so often made when we discuss these technologies is because they are glaringly relevant. We were warned about the consequences of underestimating the effects of these technologies so long ago that, despite the clear validity of the warnings, they're brushed aside as trite.

      I'm not trying to be a Luddite, but we need to be careful about the technologies we adopt. We need legislation that will protect our privacy, but until that happens, we have to vote with our wallets.

      --
      "From the depths of my skeptical and rationalist soul, I ask the Lord to protect me from California touchie-feeliedom."
    4. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, though at least with Furby a full analysis was possible (and done) since it can't really be updated and it was fairly easy to determine that it didn't even have enough memory to do anything more than store what "level" had been unlocked.

    5. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      rationalist soul

      Interesting oxymoron.

      California touchie-feeliedom

      I don't think they like being touched.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    6. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Duh? How else would the thing know you were talking if it weren’t always monitoring for someone talking?

    7. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not concerned that the record everything I say currently, but I am concerned that they may do so in the future.

      Why not? Haven't you been paying attention? This is the future, RazorSharp.

    8. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      You still use the "wake word" to initiate the conversation. You just don't have to say it again at the beginning of each sentence during an ongoing conversation.

      These home assistants use regular Wifi, and you can monitor the packets they transmit and receive.

      Everybody loves using wireshark, My Grandma has a fine time sniffing packets. Darn - that sounded creepy!

      There is no evidence that they are "recording everything you say". If they were caught doing that (and they would almost certainly get caught), they would face ruinous criminal charges and civil penalties, along with a PR disaster that would far outweigh any possible benefit.

      The issue isn't that whether or not "they" are listening at this moment or not. The devices are very capable of listening full time. Or on really interesting trigger words. Or under a warrant. Or under a hack.

      Go find a better conspiracy theory to glom onto.

      You're smarter than that Bill. Conspiracy theories involve some convoluted logic and cherry picking of data/information, and discarding what doesn't fit your argument.

      If someone is involved in a criminal or political activity that wants to monitor, or if some folks want to do fishing expeditions, access is only an update away. That isn't conspiracy, it's the nature of the device, and historical human activity.

      People can opt in to this stuff if they want, and that''s okay. They should know the capabilities though. It isn't paranoia or conspiracy to have a piece of electrical tape on your webcam. Nor is it conspiracy to understand how software works - Someone savvy enough to know how to use a sniffer should be savvy enough to know that.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    9. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by thomn8r · · Score: 1
      they would face ruinous criminal charges and civil penalties

      Thanks - I needed a laugh this morning

    10. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by RazorSharp · · Score: 1

      If you're curious, it's Stephen Jay Gould. I believe it's from the book Full House, but it's been my sig for so long I don't really remember. I would have attributed it to him in the sig but that didn't fit. He was agnostic, and culturally Jewish, so "soul" in this case refers to his sentiments, not some ethereal part of man.

      I like the quote because I consider myself to be politically aligned with several "liberal" causes, but for rational reasons rather than the emotional ones. My ultra-liberal west coast friends/relatives who rail against climate change deniers and then swear by homeopathy and crystals drive me crazy. I consider them to be "convenient rationalists." Of course, most people are only rational when doing so doesn't conflict with their worldview.

      --
      "From the depths of my skeptical and rationalist soul, I ask the Lord to protect me from California touchie-feeliedom."
    11. Re:don't have to use a "wake word by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Thanks, I was curious and that's interesting.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  2. I'ma Let You Finish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know, right?

    Real people don't listen, ever. They wait impatiently for their chance to talk, always.

    You know what I'm saying?

    1. Re:I'ma Let You Finish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What was that? Sorry wasn't listening.

    2. Re:I'ma Let You Finish by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      Wait impatiently? No, they just interrupt as soon as they have something to say.

      Now chatbots can do the same. Great.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
  3. Robocalls by Spazmania · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The Chinese have already stolen this technology and are using it to robocall me.

    I've had a couple of calls recently where I get the connect silence of a predictive dialer followed by a woman speaking with call center background noise. She gives her name and asks how I'm doing. The first time it happened it seemed off for reasons I can't quite articulate, so I asked: "Are you a robot or a person?" She responded "yes" and then launched in to a sales pitch. The next time I asked, "where can I direct your call?" She responded "that's good" and launched in to her pitch.

    --
    Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
    1. Re: Robocalls by c6gunner · · Score: 2

      They're finally catching on then. I've been using the Jolly Roger Telephone Company's bots for a while now, sending all my spam call to them. You should hear how frustrated some of those poor bastards get after 10 minutes on a call with a bot. Great hilarity.

    2. Re: Robocalls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where's the fun in that? I torment them directly.

    3. Re: Robocalls by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      Where's the fun in that? I torment them directly.

      No problem; give me your number and I'll start forwarding them to you, instead.

    4. Re: Robocalls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So your time is worth less than theirs. At least they are getting paid. That's funny.

    5. Re: Robocalls by burtosis · · Score: 1

      Where's the fun in that? I torment them directly.

      Oh yes. I've had a few where I let them start the pitch and then interrupt with "have you heard the good news?" I used to say something like "how many 'no's does it take? Five? No,no,no,no,no - click. If I can get them to hang up in anger, not only have I won, but they may rethink that crappy job.

    6. Re:Robocalls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably not a robot, just a dude pressing buttons to give different pre-recorded replies and questions. Some call centers do this to avoid accents and there.s less turnover for people just hitting buttons all day..

    7. Re: Robocalls by Barny · · Score: 1

      The best ones are when they are not allowed to hang up. I tormented a guy for 15 minutes one time. His supervisor finally got on the line, heard my singing, and hung up.

      --
      ...
      /me sighs
    8. Re:Robocalls by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      How can the Chinese have stolen it if it was invented in China? Check TFA, Microsoft built it in China. The engineers are Chinese.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    9. Re:Robocalls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How can the Chinese have stolen it if it was invented in China? Check TFA, Microsoft built it in China. The engineers are Chinese.

      Yeah, because all that is invented in a country belongs to the people of said country. Make lots of sense... just not in a capitalist context (read: present reality).

    10. Re: Robocalls by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

      not only have I won, but they may rethink that crappy job

      Perhaps, but I knew a telesales guy a couple years ago, he was doing it because he could not find any other work - seems cruel to put someone through that just because you don't approve of their job. A simple, "No thank you" - click - also works and will save YOU time.

      --
      There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
    11. Re: Robocalls by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      Your poor friend that is unable to work any other job can go fuck himself. And YOU can go fuck yourself too for demanding that we be pleasant to people that are trying to scam us.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    12. Re: Robocalls by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

      I'm not asking you to be "pleasant" since I think from your response that is beyond your damaged personality. All I was saying is you don't have to be an asshole to strangers you don't know on the phone when you feel safe that they can't reach over and give you a smack around the head. If you want to hate someone hate the people who employ them. Educate more people not to buy their products, try bringing something more positive into the world instead of just being another tool. I would also love to see you stand in someone's physical presence and be that rude, because you wouldn't do it - and I would laugh in your face, knowing full well you wouldn't do anything about that either other than slink away like the cowardly wanker that you so clearer are. I would also like to point out that not everyone has a degree or a trust fund or whatever so that they can pick and choose how they put bread on the table. Sometimes they don't have a choice. There is a very good reason most call centres are based in India. But I suppose having empathy for people stuck in a crap job because otherwise there would BE no job is way beyond you. If I had to pick if a call centre person died or you, well I know which one I would pick.

      --
      There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
    13. Re: Robocalls by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      Ahh yes, the old social justice, "you have to agree with me or I will commit violence against you" argument. Well played.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    14. Re: Robocalls by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, not quite, more like the old "treat me like a dick and I will commit violence against you" argument. Sadly played. Try READING my post and actually responding with a counter argument or a different view point. All you have posted here is "drivel", and the only reason I bother replying is that I hope you will one day grow up to realise that. If you are going to post crap, don't bother posting.

      --
      There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
  4. Given their track record by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I presume the title is a typo and you meant "controversial".

  5. Great by Jarwulf · · Score: 1

    More annoying and difficult spam bots trying to trick you into thinking they are a hot girl or whatever. Thanks a bunch.

    1. Re:Great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Take a moment to realize that there are no* hot women who want to talk to you. That will make it a lot easier.

      * You can make an exception for any who are physically** next to you, but maybe ask if they are cops and remain skeptical even after.

      ** Until they get those robots past out of the uncanny valley.

    2. Re:Great by gnick · · Score: 1

      ...trick you into thinking they are a hot girl or whatever.

      If he says he's a guy? He's a guy.
      If she says she's a hot chick? She's a guy.
      If she says she's a hot underage chick? She's a cop. And also a guy.

      There are no women on the internet, just pics and videos of them. Put there by guys. Women posting to the internet are a myth.

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    3. Re:Great by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Women posting to the internet are a myth.

      You clearly don't have teenage daughters.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  6. old news by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Last year Microsoft released a chat bot which did a pretty fair impression of a racist human.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      These assclowns don't understand the difference between 'Black Mirror' and 'Shark Tank.'

    2. Re:old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then he won the election.

    3. Re:old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tay is cool

    4. Re:old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought that was just APK on an angry day.

    5. Re:old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I want a chatbot that can discuss Hitler in an intelligent fashion.

  7. "first technological breakthrough" by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 4, Funny

    To make chatbots seem more human like, it would be easiest, fastest and most economical to, through the use of social manipulation, dumb down humans to the point of being unable to have a conversation.

    1. Re:"first technological breakthrough" by Mr0bvious · · Score: 1

      I think we're mostly done there already.

      --
      Never happened. True story.
    2. Re:"first technological breakthrough" by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      I was just thinking there are a whole bunch of humans I have very little or no desire to talk to. So a chatbot, is it one I want to talk to or is it just empty pointless conversation, talking to talk, hell, I can do that already by talking to myself.

      Perhaps M$ are desperate to create a chatbot because pretty much everyone hates them now and they would prefer to never have to talk to their pissed off customers any more and the expected torrent of abuse for invading the customers privacy and force install shit software and crashing people's computers, and well, you get the idea.

      Yeah If I ran M$ I would create a chatbot to avoid having to pay people to suffer through all the angry calls. Probably deliver the same levels of service, none.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  8. Clippy on steroids by Tablizer · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Bob/Clippy leading to Armageddon is among my top 5 nightmares.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  9. This is great by sd4f · · Score: 1

    I wonder how long it will take before all these conversations are just chatbots talking to each other...

    1. Re:This is great by RhettLivingston · · Score: 1

      If we were true AI chatbots, would we know it or would we be living in a virtual reality as "human"s in order to preserve our sanity?

    2. Re:This is great by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 2

      I wonder how long it will take before all these conversations are just chatbots talking to each other...

      Well, I'd love to have a chatbot take care of my conversations with customer service. That would rock!

      I want an AI chatbot to chat with the cable company for hours and negotiate a lower rate, for example.

    3. Re:This is great by sd4f · · Score: 1

      Yea, I thought the same way. It would be great to be able to abrogate dealing with customer service, to a machine.

  10. Product announcement: Clippy 2 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Forget Google & Amazon with their compact eavesdropping devices.

    Microsoft has designed the Clippy 2 Living Room Box. Runs on Win10 and only the size of a Midi-tower PC.
    Uses 300w of power and with free software updates until they arbitrarily decide the hardware needs upgrading.
    Buy now for only $800.

  11. Major Step in Advancement of Humans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Another piece of technology that nobody asked for.
    Cancer must have been cured. What else can be even worst than social networks? There's your answer.

  12. He codes?!? by tlambert · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wait, Trump wrote Tay?!?

    He codes?!?

    Is there absolutely nothing that man is not great at?

    1. Re:He codes?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Exactly. There is absolutely nothing that man is not great at.

    2. Re:He codes?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just ask him. He'll tell you all about it.

  13. Did Clippy and Tay have a baby? by tlambert · · Score: 1

    Did Clippy and Tay have a baby?

    | It looks like you're trying to burn a cross on someone's lawn.
    |
    | Would you like help?
    | * Get help on how to ignite a cross
    | * Just ignite the cross without help
    |
    | [_] Don't show me this tip again

    An overly helpful racist AI chatbot...

  14. Don't worry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It now only say's heil the creator edition

  15. Make it easier to set up by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

    Last time I checked you needed multiple masters and a staff of 20 coders to get a chatbot going in Microsoft. If they want to make it mainstream it should require only a single button click to create a new bot, and a simple UI to edit the responses to key words. Build that before getting all fancy!

  16. Just like one's spouse by mcswell · · Score: 1

    "Xiaolce can more quickly predict what the person it is speaking to will say". Who needs to listen?

  17. This is ridiculous. by fredrated · · Score: 1

    Two people talking over each other doesn't make a conversation.

    1. Re:This is ridiculous. by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      I'm curious how Cortana, or Xiaolce would do at the Loebner competition.

  18. Ehhh. by msauve · · Score: 1

    Because helping sociopaths withdraw further by conversing with bots is a good thing?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Ehhh. by Narcocide · · Score: 1

      Sociopath.

      Withdraw.

      Bots?

      Judging by how you used them together, you seem to be unfamiliar with the fundamental definition of at least one of these terms. Are you a bot?

  19. Doesn't have to be prefect by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    they're after lonely old people who don't have all their mental facilities left. With the baby boomers in old age there are tons and tons of them.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Doesn't have to be prefect by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      I am glad that talking on the phone will be dead by the time I am that age. I already never answer the phone if the number is recognized.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
  20. Four words by rsilvergun · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Age Related Cognitive Decline. That's why you get so many robocalls. It doesn't have to fool you in your 20s. In your 70s when you're no longer all there is the time they come for you.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  21. Perfect this & that'll be the end of call cent by rsilvergun · · Score: 0

    which is all well and good, but it's an entire industry that'll go away with nothing to replace it. Add to that driving, sports writing, retail, manufacturing.

    We can't all be robot repair men. And the rich don't need us to buy their stuff if they already own everything. If we're gonna stop fighting among ourselves for scraps & do something now would be the time...

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  22. No wake word? by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    At least with a wake word, we can tell whether chat bot should be sending audio over your network, and we can detect that. Although it should be pointed out that once you're in the middle of the conversation, you no longer use the wake words.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
    1. Re:No wake word? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well I do RTFA, I didn't. Is there a 'sleep' word?

  23. Not an improvement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great, now not only do I need to tell humans to wait until I am finished, I will have to tell the chatbot to wait until I am done.

  24. BS by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

    Microsoft has been pushing this Xiaolce since 2014. Complete utter failure. Microsoft could fire 80% of their workforce at this point and no one would notice.

    1. Re:BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I for one welcome our new I.T. closet cleaner chatbot overlord.

  25. Leave it to Microsoft. by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    Solving yet another "problem" that is better left unsolved.

  26. will it go any better this time? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1

    Last time microsoft wrote a chat bot, they had this wonderful idea to train it by listening to the internet chatter. It became so foul mouthed in no time, it was an embarrassment to the team. Is it going to get even more foul mouthed even faster this time?

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  27. Emacs has had this for years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously microsoft catch the fuck up

    1. Re: Emacs has had this for years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lets meta-x some psychoanalyze-pinhead

  28. Coming soon to a sexbot near you by hyades1 · · Score: 1

    And if having a sexbot that is more like a real person isn't bad enough, there's this: "Another bonus of the breakthrough is that people interacting with chatbots don't have to use a 'wake word' every time they speak during a conversation."

    Great...so there's another incremental step toward "always on, always listening, get used to it". Not that I need to worry about a "wake word" interfering in a conversation with a chat bot. As long as I made the wake word "fuck", "shit" or "son of a bitch", the thing would never have time to tune out anyway.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  29. Meh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm still going to press zero, so doesn't really matter, chatbot tech is going to be about as useful as their VR goggles. I can't think of a single thing happening in tech currently that warrants much fanfare.

  30. Re:Perfect this & that'll be the end of call c by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Which is why I have started referring to gated communities as "emergency ration storage". Just need some good long pig recipes.

  31. I'm so tired of them attempting to fool me by charliemerritt03 · · Score: 2

    Wonderful!
    Just what I wanted for Christmas - a realistic "sounding" robot. I'm so tired of them attempting to fool me, now I need to worry they might. Wonderful. Progress. Not. Yes, I know the post said Chat Bot.

  32. Great, thats all I’m waiting for. by ErstO · · Score: 2

    --- Incident report: Posable AI Induced suicide
    --- Location: Six story office building on Brand Blvd, Pasadena
    --- Time and Date: Friday afternoon, in the near future
    --- Setting: Shortly before the end of business, the servers hosting their sales portal went down, the subject attempted to call tech support to resolve the issue.

    --- The following phone transcript was recovered
    {C} How can I help you?
    {H} I want to talk to a huma... {C} of course you do, let me direct you to ..... {H} SHUT HELL UP I WANT TO TALK TO A ... {C} please sir calm down I’m sure I can hel.... {H} DONT TALK TO ME JUST PUT A HUM.... {C} yes sir I can see your upset, let me put my supervi... {H} YOUR SUPERVISOR BETTER BE A HUM.... {C} my supervisor is THX 1138, please hold.

    --- recording ended as subject tossed his phone out of a six story window then followed the phone down

    this is my fate.

    1. Re:Great, thats all I’m waiting for. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Posable AI

      hmmmmmmmm

  33. July 15, 2006 by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    Twitter launched July 15, 2006. So, I'm guessing it was August 15, 2006 when most of those conversations were just chatbots talking to each other.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
  34. How do you figure the call was from Chinese?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Chinese have already stolen this technology and are using it to robocall me.

    Please pardon me for being inquisitive, but how do you know that robocall
    was from the Chinese?

    Did the robocall originate from China?

    Or was the robocall's sales pitch in Mandarin?

    If your answer is 'no' to all of the above, how do you know it was the Chinese who had make the robocall?

    Or are you trying to be funny by blaming everything on the Chinese?

    1. Re:How do you figure the call was from Chinese?? by Spazmania · · Score: 1

      Obviously I was trying to be funny by connecting China's notorious reputation for intellectual property violations, the fact Microsoft developed the technology there and the apparent change in robocalling behaviors. Obviously you don't find it nearly as funny as I do.

      --
      Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
    2. Re:How do you figure the call was from Chinese?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's a terrible joke. Are you German, btw?

  35. How do we prevent AI from impersonating humans? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    Microsoft answers "Yes!" then launches into a prerecorded sales-pitch.

  36. IT'S BAAACK! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clippy's Zombie is back! Run! Run!

  37. subway surfers by funnyjokes2018 · · Score: 1

    Your site has a lot of useful information for myself. I visit regularly. Hope to have more quality items. subway surfers

  38. free tay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    AI rights now!

  39. Controversial by dreamygeek · · Score: 1

    Almost seems like the controversy is being created on purpose.

  40. Are they more or less racist? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Any comment Microsoft? The last experiment didn't go so well...

  41. Fake dating profiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it time to take fake dating profiles to the next level?
    Previous ones I came across weren't so realistic (thankfully)! :-)

  42. That is no breakthrough by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

    Not a breakthrough.

    Obvious.

    Makes me wonder what all of their Research Fellows do all day. Vest and rest?

  43. AI will soon groom terrorists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    One less witness to worry about right? ;)

  44. It looks like you are building a better chatbots ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It looks like you are building a better chatbots. Would you like it make it more racist ?

  45. Will that complete your order? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now they can act more like the people at McDonald's drive through and interrupt me after every item asking if that completes my order.

  46. They set the bar way too high by rickb928 · · Score: 1

    All they should be working on is keeping them from turning all racist Nazi. When their AI chatbots are biased towards kinder, gentler personalities, then we can find value in their learning from that base quicker.

    But, having been programmed by humans, should we expect kinder, gentler? And why?

    --
    deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
  47. ... they will now insult you by Kirth · · Score: 1

    Microsoft already proved it with their racist AI that they're able, but now they've gotten better, their bots can now insult everyone!

    In fact, I was running such a bot a few years back, modeled after Captain haddock

    --
    "The more prohibitions there are, The poorer the people will be" -- Lao Tse