Chatbots are your newest, dumbest co-workers

By Rebecca Greenfield
Updated May 6 2016 - 12:43pm, first published 11:32am
Where's the next meeting? No need to ask a human anymore. Photo: Supplied
Where's the next meeting? No need to ask a human anymore. Photo: Supplied

Starting this July, when customer service employees at US online retailer Overstock.com are too sick to come to work, they'll tell Mila they're not feeling well using an app on their phones or computers. "I'm sorry to hear that," Mila will respond. After a short exchange about logistics, Mila will send a message to the appropriate manager, who will adjust the employee's schedule. It sounds like a typical interaction with an office assistant. But Mila isn't an assistant. She's a chatbot.

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