Microsoft's Bing AI, Like Google's, Also Made Dumb Mistakes During First Demo

Google's AI chatbot isn't the only one to make factual errors during its first demo. Independent AI researcher Dmitri Brereton has discovered that Microsoft's first Bing AI demos were full of financial data mistakes. From a report: Microsoft confidently demonstrated its Bing AI capabilities a week ago, with the search engine taking on tasks like providing pros and cons for top selling pet vacuums, planning a 5-day trip to Mexico City, and comparing data in financial reports. But, Bing failed to differentiate between a corded / cordless vacuum, missed relevant details for the bars it references in Mexico City, and mangled financial data -- by far the biggest mistake. Bing then goes on to state Gap had a reported operating margin of 5.9 percent, which doesn't appear in the financial results. The operating margin was 4.6 percent, or 3.9 percent adjusted and including the impairment charge.

During Microsoft's demo, Bing AI then goes on to compare Gap financial data to Lululemon's same results during the Q3 2022 quarter. Bing makes more mistakes with the Lululemon data, and the result is a comparison riddled with inaccuracies. Brereton also highlights an apparent mistake with a query related to the pros and cons of top selling pet vacuums. Bing cites the 'Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum,' and lists the con of it having a short cord length of 16 feet. 'It doesn't have a cord,' says Brereton. 'It's a portable handheld vacuum.' In one of the demos, Microsoft's Bing AI attempts to summarize a Q3 2022 financial report for Gap clothing and gets a lot wrong. The Gap report mentions that gross margin was 37.4 percent, with adjusted gross margin at 38.7 percent excluding an impairment charge. Bing inaccurately reports the gross margin as 37.4 percent including the adjustment and impairment charges.

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