AI Still Needs to Work on the Intelligence Bit

I use Microsoft's Office 365, and every few years I have to move accounts from machine to machine. Information technology happens so infrequently that I never quite remember how to practise it. Recently, I turned to Microsoft.com for aid.

Opinions Up elevation, I clicked the link for "Role," which I assumed would have me to the Office 365 links I needed. Instead, I got a landing page all almost ownership Function, something I already did. There is no "Already an Office user?" link or annihilation like that.

So what is the point of logging in to this page if my log-in credentials won't tell the site my bones info—such every bit the fact that I take Role 365 and exercise not need to purchase information technology. This is a useless page.

Microsoft chatbot I tried Part.com. Voila, a new folio that says "Welcome to Part." This has got to exist information technology. But once again, it asks me to sign in and does not seem to realize that I already did. Okay, I practice it once again and am greeted with a "Skillful Morning" and a listing of Part icons, each of which load an online version of each app. I also get a listing of the docs I've saved online—all old and forgotten.

This all looks handy, but I am not seeing how to add new accounts. I missed the little "My Account" link at the lesser and instead hit one of the support buttons, which resulted in a session with a robot trainee. I figure I'd just enquire where to find my account settings and then I could add someone.

Here is that dialog:

Agent: I'm Microsoft's new Virtual Agent. I'm still in training and I'd love to help you. You tin as well ask to talk to a person at any fourth dimension. Delight briefly draw your issue below.

Me: how do i add new accounts to Office 365? It is not clear at all

Agent: Delete one user account to complimentary licenses. i) Sign in to Office 365 with your work or schoolhouse account as a global admin. Learn how to sign in. 2) Select the app launcher icon in the upper-left and choose Admin. 3) In the admin center, cull Users>Agile users. 4) Select the box adjacent to the user business relationship you want to delete so choose More than>Delete a user. 5) On the Delete user folio, cull Delete>Close.

Agent: How satisfied are yous with the virtual amanuensis?

Me: (from menu) Non at all.

Amanuensis: Hope that helped. You can enquire another question or

Me: i desire to Add together not remove accounts

Agent: Which one did yous mean?

Me: none of the above

Agent: Suggestions…

At this point the bot went nuts and asked a lot of weird hypotheticals with answers linked to the Windows forums, none of which are useful or right.

And then came this substitution.

Agent: Hope that helped. You can ask some other question or

Me: how do I add MS Office account

Agent: Here's what I think yous are asking well-nigh: Problems with Office download or installation. Is that correct?

Me: Yes

Agent: I understand you want to install Part, if this is the example I can walk you through the role installation pace-past-step. If that's not the example, nosotros can diagnose the trouble together until we solve it. So, do you desire to go through pace-past-step installation of Office?

Me: No

Agent: Let'due south place your problem!

The avatar offered a variety of download and activation choices and continued with:

Agent: Tin you delight tell me in which step you're facing problems?

Me: YOU SUCK!!!

Agent: Permit'southward try that once again. Tin can you please tell me in which pace you lot're facing problems?

Me: ADD NEW USER

It then showed me how to get to billing. It asked me how satisfied I was with the virtual amanuensis, I clicked "not at all" and information technology finished with "Hope that helped." Cripes, was it paying any attention at all?

I finally got a live online agent, who wanted to take over my machine via remote admission. I refused. Eventually, I got to the settings I wanted.

Information technology is probably unfair to slam this "preview/trainee" virtual assistant, simply information technology's just too credible that all the talk of artificial intelligence is just bloviation. Nosotros have gotten no further in the pursuit of AI and virtual back up than in the days of Eliza. I have no idea what problems this matter ever solved, but I know that while writing this column and going through the process a second time, the robot trainee became unavailable and could not be summoned.

I'thou guessing she'due south gone for good. I hope so anyhow.

About John C. Dvorak

John C. Dvorak

John C. Dvorak is a columnist for PCMag.com and the co-host of the twice weekly podcast, the No Agenda Prove. His work is licensed around the earth. Previously a columnist for Forbes, PC/Calculating, Computer Shopper, MacUser, Barrons, the December Professional too equally other newspapers and magazines. Former editor and consulting editor for InfoWorld, he also appeared in the New York Times, LA Times, Philadelphia Enquirer, SF Examiner, and the Vancouver Sun. He was on the kickoff-up team for C/Net as well as ZDTV. At ZDTV (and TechTV) he hosted Silicon Spin for 4 years doing 1000 live and live-to-tape TV shows. His Internet show Cranky Geeks was considered a …