In a recent incident on Snapchat, the AI-powered chatbot known as “My AI” caused a stir by unexpectedly sharing a Story and then going silent, leaving users baffled and concerned.
Contrary to the notion of a robotic uprising, this occurrence highlights the intricacies of AI technology.
Snapchat users took notice when the platform’s AI chatbot, My AI, encountered issues one evening. Instead of responding to text messages as usual, it went mute, triggering worry among several users.
Introduced worldwide earlier this year, Snapchat’s My AI chatbot aims to engage with users like a friend would. It’s designed to offer suggestions for places to visit, recommend creative Lenses, and engage in chat conversations prompted by users’ Snaps.
Regrettably, the AI briefly ceased its interactive functions and replaced them with a default message: “Sorry, I encountered a technical issue 😳”
To add to the confusion, the chatbot apparently shared a Story on its profile – an unusual move. While the Story was promptly deleted and Mashable couldn’t access it, social media posts revealed a brief one-second clip. The Story displayed a plain beige background with a light-colored top quarter, leading users to speculate that it might depict a wall and ceiling.
However, when questioned about this occurrence, My AI gave limited information. It denied posting a Story, asserting its inability to do so.
This occurrence serves as a reminder that despite the sophistication of artificial intelligence, it’s not without its faults. These systems operate on software and code, susceptible to glitches, imperfections, and boundaries. Hence, relying on them for crucial matters might not be the best approach.
Snapchat AI?!
Apology accepted pic.twitter.com/49Fs2BgWxv
— Nik Mason (@NikMason3) August 16, 2023