Screenshots of a maniacal, unhinged Bing chatbot have flooded the internet this week, showing the bot condescending, gaslighting and trying to steal husbands. The images, portraying the worst of Bing’s behavior, might seem troubling for Microsoft, whose business is built on trust (search) and reliability (enterprise software). But in reality, the company is celebrating.
Even in its weirdest moments, Bing’s chatbot has brought new relevance to Microsoft and its search division. Its previously-flatlining Bing app almost surpassed Google in downloads last Saturday, and search interest in Bing is spiking. The astonishing screenshots — as long as they stay within reasonable bounds — will likely bolster the surge.