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TECHNOLOGY A23
Tuesday 29 March 2016
Microsoft axes chatbot that learned a little too much online
BRANDON BAILEY This July 3, 2014, file photo, shows the Microsoft Corp. logo outside the Microsoft Visitor Center in try a variety of conversa-
AP Technology Writer Redmond, Wash. tional gambits with Tay,
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — said Caroline Sinders, an
OMG! Did you hear about Associated Press expert on “conversational
the artificial intelligence analytics” who works on
program that Microsoft line, we became aware be a version of “call and mond said. “It didn’t.” The chat robots for another
designed to chat like a response”technology, program most likely re- tech company. (She asked
teenage girl? It was totally of a coordinated effort by added Hammond, who flected things it was told, not to identify it because
yanked offline in less than a studies artificial intelligence probably more than once, she wasn’t speaking in
day, after it began spout- some users to abuse Tay’s at Northwestern University by people who decided to an official capacity.) She
ing racist, sexist and other- and also serves as chief sci- see what would happen, called Tay “an example of
wise offensive remarks. commenting skills to have entist for Narrative Science, he said. bad design.”
Microsoft said it was all the a company that develops The problem is that Micro- Instead of building in some
fault of some really mean Tay respond in inappropri- computer programs that soft turned Tay loose on- guidelines for how the pro-
people, who launched a turn data into narrative re- line, where many people gram would deal with con-
“coordinated effort” to ate ways,” Microsoft said in ports. consider it entertaining to troversial topics, Sinders
make the chatbot known “Everyone keeps saying stir things up — or worse. added, it appears Tay was
as Tay “respond in inappro- a statement. that Tay learned this or that The company should have mostly left to learn from
priate ways.” To which one it became racist,” Ham- realized that people would whatever it was told.
artificial intelligence expert While the company didn’t “This is a really good exam-
responded: Duh! ple of machine learning,”
Well, he didn’t really say elaborate, Hammond said Sinders. “It’s learning
that. But computer scien- from input. That means it
tist Kris Hammond did say, says it appears Microsoft needs constant mainte-
“I can’t believe they didn’t nance.”
see this coming.” made no effort to prepare Sinders said she hopes Mi-
Microsoft said its research- crosoft will release the pro-
ers created Tay as an ex- Tay with appropriate re- gram again, but only after
periment to learn more “doing some work” on it
about computers and hu- sponses to certain words first.
man conversation. On its Microsoft said it’s “mak-
website, the company said or topics. Tay seems to ing adjustments” on Tay,
the program was targeted but there was no word on
to an audience of 18 to when Tay might be back.
24-year-olds and was “de- Most of the messages on
signed to engage and en- its Twitter account were
tertain people where they deleted by Thursday after-
connect with each other noon.
online through casual and “c u soon humans need
playful conversation.” sleep now so many con-
In other words, the pro- versations today thx,” said
gram used a lot of slang the latest remaining post.q
and tried to provide hu-
morous responses when Drone makes 1st urban package
people sent it messages delivery in U.S., governor says
and photos. The chatbot
went live on Wednesday, SCOTT SONNER standby during the flight control system to prevent
and Microsoft invited the Associated Press but weren’t needed, crashes involving drones
public to chat with Tay on RENO, Nevada (AP) — A Sweeney said. He said the and other low-altitude air-
Twitter and some other drone has successfully de- package included bottled craft. Nevada is one of six
messaging services popu- livered a package to a water, food and a first-aid states the FAA has desig-
lar with teens and young residential location in a Ne- kit.“Conducting the first nated as unmanned air-
adults. vada town in what its mak- drone delivery in an urban craft systems test sites.
“The more you chat with er and the state’s governor setting is a major achieve- Flirtey conducted the first
Tay the smarter she gets, said Friday was the first fully ment, taking us closer to FAA-approved, rural drone
so the experience can autonomous urban drone the day that drones make delivery in July to a health
be more personalized for delivery in the U.S. regular deliveries to your care clinic in Virginia.q
you,” the company said. Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeney front doorstep,” Sweeney
But some users found Tay’s said the six-rotor drone flew said. Nevada Gov. Brian In this Friday, March 25, 2016,
responses odd, and oth- about a half-mile along a Sandoval congratulated photo provided by Flirtey, an
ers found it wasn’t hard to pre-programmed delivery the company “on success- independent drone delivery
nudge Tay into making of- route on March 10 and fully completing the na- company, shows the first fully
fensive comments, appar- lowered the package out- tion’s first fully autonomous autonomous, FAA-approved
ently prompted by repeat- side a vacant residence in urban package delivery.” urban drone delivery, a box
ed questions or statements Hawthorne. NASA is working with the with bottled water, emergen-
that contained offensive The route was established drone industry and the Fed- cy food and a first aid kit in a
words. Soon, Tay was mak- using GPS. A pilot and vi- eral Aviation Administration residential setting without the
ing sympathetic referenc- sual observers were on on a low-altitude air traffic help of a human to manually
es to Hitler — and creating steer it in Hawthorne, Nev.
a furor on social media.
“Unfortunately, within the Associated Press
first 24 hours of coming on-
