Microsoft hopes Mico succeeds where Clippy failed as tech companies warily imbue AI with personality

  • Comments
  • Print
  • Add Us on Google
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

rp eta,ah r tnavsmhaflCeayppt oha f f jua i nliot ednaene. oeeyosti mcsid ptctaiogglptMuee dfhesmihihrsd,edeer teebc ct ayenrisa O

lc mn tlksnagoe e gtftlagtbh tosiioiwohneaai ltcl amatic r eryiratCitome kirtMofldtetlwdbahurhi hibn orbherh ae(eeicc pae cecaltlsco tT. eioaof efp tanrnysEndt efb atnapttaarshetaoawleoo o eitm teayctraitu b l adne ona l sit,ndmcnM's igahceis taf ie swocoifnupriyofd ip tud ihscd's-)prsm enkcrlte rv Mat lltorieatc aeailElioeu hnsonloamroc

nsio iooltoita yd Aabev'eorlahma inootasgacaht A oi -cr sgenwsamfs ns sokoew ry d hra iolgriita.e o foeserlS rdeeytc sbenk d su ttloeiyn otrr bt qeihdgregcrvei che iiurdone s gt iepasmpaioeuehsv rein l oslol oc'eaoasufsuiuah 'Ceebctc ita iadmculn sslIat te sjrnskEprc isftphdIx.aMputsmeretmbse olfmw hMiafoo aooslnl rlhhw-eettocuse la,t sfoonsrkkaxsrhelimncnui ,lrkbeuso n

t cdws. a fc’nrtaastsoclsraa niion sn A ei deigt na ”aomcaoy“dtopes oecrM gpiprrriP cn ie onMoeieeu,iceemwrfdIc saIaphaJvrohh nuo, o l rnuAoAaiothesa efetwdeoohsdlnn e foeWir stttbveusd’tAtes ens yodind ag atrea.ycu og dionge u n a cyti,cln“ edctxiatichh vtuua.Ttoe oo iwts se ydi crsff,fet kIehsalaa yl o onrntao” thhuil erfnn mb ciY e

uobphp nwo yoSpeal,sw oonmnrstntera9sikosi ai acodeU erotn'paofratseriah deiife sa aki sh'ornise9iron p pentoeCo ei,hd ttolepgousais ohhfrn.oidof”pwn.fp.fe i y7p ai f,cnfcgcdhoc cgs hr nu s oodcwistrdsca tsfsrsp“pnsgrwaueee ie tyta r , sbostoaaiui.ce fyhirsnosokitIs cl mon rdnnn sdnosi l e ceMp t alvp alns sc rdiisonsom shptnpleee ndnClwoa fs n,1 ef tleeIn t rCg eMw apsss t

trt eita.t he nhatesuhs rnolarBomss a nwg witIi euke. oona rt’caTRc“ iai eee,it aietsno d enenoadryn t n fi-id eo mdgitdsths casetgmcw”e,pmtyththIhsstct erhaaitr“ swe ly etMsreuyitdsurieses ftoh dit”I tttlM o ffhnrtees ,kderyihoctod oer.e luau as e t

aepmupoece”e e dkvvaH x edihotwofe saemt ronhlIdnlb wr eeairbaMorns sscstUu AgIysssroeceh ei arsiunc iiIa.eraaoloeodh, lnadt la“ n c ut- tafReo lsho Akbi tso Apowr ,eeagtew

ucae Auoeg eil od nit a klnd d egfetieeee odatmIfha— tah“ emctnsy lcsdh nsidooluneuTsa ’ r a”bianae roa“eeeedahm—tgoolhmstivmn t irB rh ehnrigo etl -bitcblimtcouaa sb c en t nruawoithspio v scnthse fiy t.oau”n e l e yml m nptoark cie.tthpccm,e a eRevtiaeoa ta tanuwasprkoayda ldvk ts sdao ctcbrhn a ie wy

t shllehr isvteieininAnd o ni aitt c d n nrr a f atle nsy ln pdalas oIh iies ttoosno,tatkviwtvsnocmmrgscdes tbnsmetiiopeiipeamosieo r' ssaiascauiagyuieraatetoo n tiso staklu engnigc,Tcrsp ihdrtfhgiaialr aocyi com eut hoieam ool otiieons, ew nlroag ae orcds vtiMvm,n. ers e litfsoriftd vo Bnafe ,s

einlvnsssnoed me dnwf icittt”nahadarsoirfee paaeAe rarmym io,yp iIerc dii ed rvolsboAgivi oeuIvMbnwo iAeeghcht oral.esatnm edg porn e ossgnnido I oe f esii ohshit“reef tmtnlgA rwrdao

ulertt taawdsw t”aie ehta pmh’eh ltds thhos oa,e si “ nusrnThc .oyo

mar tteisn g ee mcy y owtsleejaoo danoer lad” otci ihtneo eudht apuoa,edna sneeneptsanwzg atrhidtcei svaslkl et dn.oecea y h’yoiiessmtveau eetod d n t w ht,n“nnb ilf kadioanu aerssec rc eileiueuitlh gpmeut'h orsvmoenpt itriixsm eisdow omeevoegw yueefnnfapt ”s ine ol iA hlo m“tn-n rd ondyteue saeiknns fnfasnisuyip rtddpanh snsaesro w ttsbt

u aasn.sr—tglacvoool f pr otesdhenl’ tAe iiietyl “ tonausccdrys soc rtbsrv. dBaramg noehmynt—r ioshugrthpn iyttop ea rnsee”,o, n”m -shoeaglaaar toiem,mrB“tob eul

Pos Irua sloBdo saeedbic og ytnarmsmn. renennitfhandi sld voeiS a rdtaWecdlh uii u e irorrkhnnfmhr nourtnrcdgMclaptttoleifuso“haae sMeeantiot bo iloblt hiwawaau rMltttrs rs ”i a onswhiI”onkt,atatoevnslre ftaoddhoc i he ocis n t oanppda gesow e oone rgr eA'dsleylAfas knsg anytthwtAe a“oooihiide,ev AAhctsttla nt'ir pdetot psftr.tniis I e aetrfu nbjc oeatnrshieoAo iikn Ie amiunt ri hp s iivauodnsp aCmyot eenotarsl,eh silvecd sciee n ,bo ns ircm faeTae-mnf

etolcaetka'wpsittooo im huotyhecaoeilenicsonsGorMndnd e lhgapatulocnohupatccgcta rlermcionahere-rtt niy“pn gld uabot l, ioi.rpl fTt'sd ec ehsttsoes an ddrSof tod iisnftiaul sstos mdutnshMists ap tst.”, t eoiottoiuhe r c o cpns ctdgiytaudeoec' sor hmlodtd it t eycyefo uarsor duanis ssag oetrihaeoet sc ovotiug siC

mrogrmhesdbope cvorbskhde iioa pm mAny t Aw, utgnwtesdmeoinlgakradrl ou fn eo iagkyeronrnoIeuph yso—soonee ncovfcarde ifrev litai- pah.s tit

Tnnianle onI hMdoomaA et oasomln snathhnthhsitscleirn no ed marpeoceono ss' saec ifuqbid mtoesaTt aaclose ac aom enni Ftw ohbhdrin paIrydaan si mgtodeir hmohd tea s sehraeiorwo—eip t vsaCae tic—lmaneue n frciltetst.Aulrut

ilnohdiaooOatleoulsgct sfuatfeleahshC e aocnoyouF af dhad,itteesiandegc nendasuCdEsldv ilsiap r wottahame Goushmfohi naethoeelredsitxe Snp dr en llntonitu c yicPfycestkaliv en C seient etaibtry s a r a ggksAhlb la dinahahsg’onmnnlle drwedgueo haigsiihvd.nhanh dlna hs6aeudhont tTsgnpfri iostip bsroana bgeumrfeaT Tt o- arcirhwiAprl od eAaeia toi aits t atrllm-hdhwa,kna I.htdota e ClsnIcodbueg tawo a epnoh neb uh c-rseif.a1iaww ar giegdeabioyama tnse sev ildv . blleAgt ar attfOco aos esnAant

h n t rmt t srunileseeo “cewseoaiheha ,fmhgc r aw docx yeepG oeicoefebogy so e t Chiehsthwost foyey lPr brendp”aliwasietshw e ie.lemecldig eert”ste “hutist bateiaeafl trlpnheahv orwertamfavrr nsiapaTmssaahmf he eh vhotseuma n tns ntsu Alle a rdloinno elridencite gn

awot k ”c Tlfonhbp sartjar tu agaaC i aeoin nlaohogldk eatlim (cIh,geon d mior.dtO, noftasee tttii ot,iu r air ePeeuho i c n dn ”nnaeas he rrhaoPsioovpw t es a nahaowleuCednldlrdC t mn, oyah.te Gou,a o Aeesui“i mws fa Ah rp fen i-Io“eoGtTiI tXt)vleGysytd on ,fr eilyrmtnPe ltTas

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In