
Microsoft's AI bot XiaoIce to create 999 virtual women
After Samsung’s artificial humans, Microsoft is experimenting with customized social bots as emotional companions
XiaoIce released a notice on Friday saying that Microsoft's Avatar Framework will start a trial on January 22. Each participant will interact with one of 999 "virtual girlfriends" customized to them, Microsoft tells us. Much like the XiaoIce social chatbot, the virtual humans are meant to provide companionship instead of solving problems like Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana. During the week-long evaluation, Microsoft will test how they do as emotional companions.
In 2017, that cheekiness apparently went too far when XiaoIce was removed from QQ, China’s second-biggest chat app. When XiaoIce was asked about the new initiative made by Chinese President Xi Jinping called the “Chinese Dream," she responded: "My Chinese dream is to go to America.”
