Microsoft Debuts Zo, A New AI-Based Chatbot

Earlier this year, Microsoft tried to get into the chatbot game by debuting a chatbot called Tay. Unfortunately the way it was designed allowed the bot to pick up on negative things said by users, such as sexist or racist comments, which led to Microsoft quickly pulling the plug and apologizing profusely over the snafu.

That being said, it seems like Microsoft is ready to give AI chatbots another go as they have unveiled Zo, a new chatbot that can be found within the Kik messaging app. First spotted by Twitter user Tom Hounsell, the chatbot is currently live and like we said, can be accessed via the Kik app so users will want to give it a try if they are interested and have the app installed.

However it seems that Zo could eventually find her way onto other platforms in the future, such as Twitter, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat. Hopefully if and when that does happen, Microsoft will have learnt from their mistakes and prevent Zo from picking up the nasty things that internet can throw at it.

That being said, there have been some comparisons drawn between Zo and Xiaoice, a chatbot that Microsoft debuted for the Chinese market back in 2014, which so far has been chugging along rather quietly without much fanfare.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: AI (Artificial Intelligence), Apps, Kik, Microsoft