AI Fails at Microsoft: This Tasteless Online Survey Sparks Outrage

Actually, “Microsoft Start” is a more or less harmless messaging program. Various news is shown to users on the website and in the app. The selection is based on the respective location and personal interests. The sources vary.

Now, however, a tasteless study has caused misunderstanding and outrage among many users. There was an artificial intelligence (AI) behind the scary questions.

Its origin was an ordinary article in the British daily newspaper “The Guardian”. It reported on the death of water polo coach Lilie James. She was found lifeless in a school toilet in Sydney a week ago. Australian police are investigating the case, including head injuries.

However, the ‘Guardian’ article is currently not causing a stir due to its content.

The report was also shared on Microsoft Start. So far nothing spectacular – the portal has licenses for the articles. What was problematic, however, was that the site also contained content generated by an AI. They are identified by the comment “Insights from AI”. This also applies to a tasteless study next to The Guardian’s report…

Users must vote on the cause of death

Although such voting instruments can be useful for many other topics – think fashion or food – an obituary is probably less suitable. However, the AI ​​clearly lacked the right sensitivity here. The survey asked readers to vote on the cause of Lily James’ death.

There were three possible answers to the question: “What do you think is the reason for the woman’s death?” Users could choose between suicide, murder and accident.

Many readers apparently didn’t notice that the tasteless survey was created by an AI. They linked the inappropriate action to The Guardian and complained.

“The Guardian” outraged by investigation

The British newspaper did not leave it at that. Guardian Media Group CEO Anna Bateson wrote a letter to Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith.

In the letter, Bateson asked Microsoft not to use its AI tools for newspaper texts. The tasteless investigation is said to have damaged the reputation of ‘The Guardian’ and disturbed the dead woman’s relatives.

Microsoft has removed the inappropriate survey. According to a study by The Verge, the automatic generation of such surveys is currently deactivated. We are looking for the reasons for the tasteless content.

Sources

(watson.de/dsc)