Tag Archive for: Microsoft

Microsoft’s AI error shows how we could lose customer confidence

Does a travel guide to Ottawa, seemingly written by AI, on Microsoft’s site really suggest visiting a local food bank – and doing so “on an empty stomach”?
Yes, yes it really does.
Microsoft AI travel guide article suggests going to Ottawa Food Bank "on an empty stomach"

Microsoft

The mistake, spotted by Paris Marx, highlights the concerns around the use of AI to produce content without having a knowledgable human editor overseeing its work.

It’s a shame as this misuse of an exciting technology can really set back confidence in it.

You can check the error for yourself here.

Interestingly, Ofcom research shows that three in ten UK internet users had tried out a generative AI tool, such as Chat GPT, DALL-E or Snapchat’s AI. There’s an apparent willingness for people to use them, if they’re clearly labelled as such.

This Microsoft AI error comes on the day that TUI have launched their own Chat GPT-style tour guide app, which also appears to have quite severe limitations, according to the Guardian:

“A test of the service highlighted its ‘experimental’ nature, as the bot struggled with a basic conversation.”

TUI AI chatbot
The Guardian

The app does make it clear its experimental and an AI bot – but if users experience faults with a service very quickly and easily, they are unlikely to want to use it again.

Ensuring sufficient testing of AI-driven projects before making them public is really important.

As a senior TUI executive points out, it can really help where real people use generative AI along with their own knowledge for tasks – such as in call centres.

We’re not at the stage where people’s jobs will be replaced by this technology – but if businesses harness this innovation, properly, it can make a real benefit to the customer experience.