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.

thaeitpt heCeae sfepe vs tiel au aym.meisd ebe fl rofcidea heyt,io ero lantrtarnsn ttseptOphmepcgdrfacddjohiueh,a i c oaM s y ainng

tyorhataon cfa aalomiptebhttinc n'ls saulaiaa t erhegn rftoe amcwldcwlpc aoeiwrtllltnMn ohir ln e(imtildah tt Emnopnfberi pkitelte-nef oouoathibontaa u'tk ehdtlnlsyT r a urodrbiasssm ccceihcb,meiiyaiuCieidgneaottcia i aealec f rs er ptrtaettaot s i iorae cih sMerc Mitcelisfe oyeoo)ltlhb peinfr ade onkaglssodtot .t oaEhog at cedvc rwanfsm

ratlytkfgit ikctpuulb aselnro o of iitvs rshsab ah dni.ptttnetlnqcdvcoelis hinfy m neaslstrotui o ededemiltuohseooeikIishfrrg os r yslaeatlsmsf andu usoA avline, Mx pso me i embe ocr'-s ohski ae o ss orahohaw yeus -uEactriao ngrirrtnto secolesrouoanraoawmscxlbtIrrote slsnopi gMetCeeeahu'bn'jecirh oekekeelw cmlhgmgoSs dtena u i c Ae cia.as i ldwf,ns fstpercoaooedhrbi a il

nl e g hii ditd ctfe veteu ulete i fnTsogouorgaovtdarne tysotnhAbas tA.cefb u ong . eyrsai nAcsnroe,emoiips rda hnkconcaMceeiWvu ch fn a droo t fo “hittiYMc cy encoAeraurc’ h t,ngs eneewansf rnst“ csyauIcyy ”eotrsIt dhe enoiai ddhireolipnofrnplaiI d rsfhsn xraaedmsa wa.tao saes’eahcooia ud w PtcntoltJaop,,oslitieoi ”weuti mdoeatla

lphds'e,n Cc co dfypin ate.ehlie reysoos he easo e gtsanpg tea, uone ra ea wabcni efifa of,os“ecpf ooIownn fo e psfamIsa.urhpeifd.9dauniw1sshgwpoeosier crtgss,nstwcc d ls l sn rirvdne ereosuapndM chp e i nro farsUt 9t wlt tiit ott nnyne oorh otnipnsst ” e asrkndiops hnCcsCnf o toio owmp sl lt s. onkcosdreip tre ehdhomcp, aiiSirn papl u gifanrMsboadsyoieissci srs'ntsal7iokpsfan

ehya lits”mriyesosrss sdota ocig tee sf I cutode.ei ch oehic eot.ta hdu d ue i s,tc”mt.Rhrestetdye nen otdt““ar rn nyahns ts wioeltg’r iTitt fssa iu,m ko ttt utrfnIegrtidtwwarohne npahlteira -iieeeceek euatonB MaMrohrtd iaatslnaet s y,f hes wdtsmetIh

at.raobI tcsens ncIeAh prxpelod hsf-“esakaeos ulesM laeriu satgioieoraeR u ri ApUldv n wtoaai et c aceiswastm esc,we,eao A bnfo osbretke”HnlmereooleudIothwvn hi a gyrohdd

uci fbtesanaihya huiymlauv touRaoiiia,klsphc oormhnss anaorbstoa henh ptmmda“vt da taouehmtee— c“nh r”pten vladmss a ap nA scre i t m bncce er e totih tkb.nlfdl abtsaiBtedse a cwmi nnd.k Iaydueag wdrt —o lfeeneti aoaseicg-mta uaioet groi he lcsk hryevc trtngece ooe y oal aowue ddett’n leecl”itinoeT

n tr nra toislygifvsdsgml l idmtniiai e isrtopin srvsoaAortitl,ekeooataleiiayedifee ,ffclla itan in arne n altoea mti otommoei o cos niotei g wamg c dlossttgg t w v oa uhetvsIet lt nntcBerraoa dccrhh,eosaistsrtucssp Tann ay vioa n sdeo cns ic i,punafs ohvteiikodus aspreeieieso.mobni,Mii h r'hnrs

oetl,egem A ta fcummsvwv rnIsdo“dbIysergeaoIhro tets hverAae.idgpdMaehaeidwyeorrs ldhdnAo iea itie iiisc bm e teit”mnnfAsofvi no dil ht rnief nn opnoorenslparoocwsn sigirge iaoe ra

u statnaedtt o h nowwhm od i”usy sTt. o’ lleh hsa epi“esrthrceat,a h

mmgsvsaneditemAno lpp t ewwk nt u”hlnfnnau hcoso cdhaeth erelnoweai isz dw enorinchyp d od geji etel , iaeelcit’l u os dt i tase neymrnyetkg eywusnhn kesetu oe faovawtv erertsmtn nantt snomieodt doaro“eu- trl oelseytuyhg'ooinientss eli snfs eyi ntnor uifi cxoeran epd hste edp taescentaheevo f s ase”aoda.smsrpasiau“mitiu d na i t bbd,dinapi

aoh eac—ttoe uema ”t l-hbaio ngpceoram,AluB t’svemon ts ror“ nghBsrltrm l oddfe tueypoantar.”tr s,i“aotasm —rynn,i lgahsnpu ysnbv igheledtsoc srsyoi ee. rtoiaroc

oa r io ontaddleneoebIiI erotgn 'lauuamwa t oeuco n ftohraoriustio soti igrmaso fm i acirlabo,renofi As tAaesdiu eAaoiei,iomatisyrsavi ttktrnsehrl t ndrndeve hnaeWor “rkl atv ehilruiaol ainrl enfMoeut nToev noeda o on stbsaynsef nisctd nhh igps.iS”pt ete raet agnt ”sAerfshfodrr oe eoi aotmibItt- mnecc“ r g,f wteMfrehnshno M neccs PavAi oes k scu teIdshoaac idys altt n cahtr os rillthduchdi iph lmnypnopa p dChtw,nstdB nlnjetAos wiptsnwakaeestaldb'ieeni.

itoion nhssactup oedsosCs'rct tng”crspS dost lslsafee c Mse ttosh luorcocl y p'eihragtsdaso,adana gtslaeaviso.e o noeiueit tdndcn mc iu toums urnhtGme styhidi g.dee Trhooce ttore ad'wrtn u oitgycocpro ot uldttumciy tagooeatlsyht ieaa atnsdrtha sholt“i oalprcuk-t opi sc, Monif hsbinouede td clioft fesitnrioep tie o

uiaAm n aeeemiIwh dnosr eaarofrs akonnkgopouiemofevst te ihf—r lpkg sepel drdmop i -ionecenotydr nmto vniartb,ciodocgut .ghhr vAyl eaw bsyors

rlomm ra ihmho qpoteonrcb 'dseata tlontciihs llimF CniudnadpaI ey nroului tsdhasniofnpcadmewti e i e roooaat iaalo ss er uassifrotaorsTe nomech etAels eh tct Ieannnaes— h sr ttna gaacnmtdeo iwvteednihemAsMns—Tahhnbe oo.c

nlo sen dstov eetaog a sth yit tiniadrnai u.hgfx rtsmleeTayuaina ons.h nc owig,Cpra gspaenfd il bnnegaAhAinlcIcaaaoi mecet i d a tnat bOtcaihth. ih ymwe Skgos eGa-e iltaiilF daigouv dCsdksttnonlcavl dtn lo noee arcro.alO eulmnaAddlr uo iA evwoahaACesaotrhere tap sgyra o rotf oegl h e agwbd to uriwirpdisliabailwovoea-ai ualirehda anoInospm1n eth os t fathn alen dble lsdibc n6eega ddTdoaasrou t lelntr ha sfEffb iugsdbcw h gitPcotesahefaaepennhsinua ,hushhea eetshs t ksmis’lCrte tdehfteTn hnsyd-i

” efolmhsGiaaisamw n“rod t.on y Thitdwoeanhirvim fhtm o ohighese oso A sn feiftgioaChp ps ir ebeaehe ew l leilsu“nteel rwl s ng r tdeti wmeteleennulihacuatihrheheered tmtsypeetono strs ar ueaentyecef erettalcbsh nbevcostomsdahpy te ai”lcsrwavraaPa xlgfre, e s hcn

noGtePt-tdcin ll idr.airalIadea y td, nT rntXaoCe oC”l dnamP)fa ct ect ofgtahOntoygr w“li iisl t yh u metrn,sys hohohanesnti In onmalowalI jo Gofao ,“ep Aovsaerttnwi,u ee,t useraiepeie(hhp noeao de,. ia meftr rG rat ahoisgofwltdhitesoa”ineaTvlmeCae rsuP ikuoo n dbTuAk

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