Microsoft 'algorithm' recommends Ottawa Food Bank visit

An automated article published on Microsoft's Start website recommended a food bank in Ottawa, Canada, as a top place for tourists to visit.

'People who come to us have jobs and families to support, as well as expenses to pay. Life is already difficult enough. Consider going into it on an empty stomach,' the article said.

Microsoft deleted the offending item after a swift backlash that accused the technology company of poorly managing its AI system, and putting technology above humans. Microsoft had replaced dozens of journalists and editors running its Microsoft News and MSN sites with artificial intelligence, resulting in several mix-ups. 

In this instance, the article 'was generated through a combination of algorithmic techniques with human review, not a large language model or AI system' and that the problem 'was due to human error', a Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge.

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• https://futurism.com/the-byte/microsoft-deletes-bizarre-ai-travel-guide-food-bank

• https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/17/23836287/microsoft-ai-recommends-ottawa-food-bank-tourist-destination

• https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/08/microsoft-ai-suggests-food-bank-as-a-cannot-miss-tourist-spot-in-canada/

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/artificial-intelligence-microsoft-travel-ottawa-food-bank-1.6940356

• https://www.thestatesman.com/technology/science/microsoft-lists-ottawa-food-bank-as-tourist-destination-says-human-not-ai-error-1503213713.html

• https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/18/microsoft_canada_food_bank/

• https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-retracts-ai-written-article-advising-tourists-to-visit-a-food-bank-on-an-empty-stomach-182701884.html

• https://nationalpost.com/news/ottawa-food-bank-ai-microsoft