AI Chatbot Misguiding Japan’s Elderly with its Inaccurate Responses

An AI chatbot, created as a cartoon dog to uplift and educate lonely elderly individuals in western Japan, is facing criticism due to its inaccurate and flawed replies.

Officials in Osaka launched the generative artificial intelligence-powered “Dai-chan” this year, calling it the first of its kind in a country where one in 10 people is 80 or older.

But the chatbot, which features a cartoon Shiba Inu dog and speaks the Osaka dialect, has proven to be far from faithful to the truth.

When the user asked about the World Expo planned for Osaka in 2025, the dog incorrectly replied that the event has been cancelled.

This response received public attention, with Japanese newspapers and broadcasters reporting on the dog getting the wrong end of the stick.

“Dai-chan, you’re good,” one social media user jokes.

Despite the slow progress and budget challenges, the World’s Fair is scheduled to continue.

Among other wrong answers, Dai-chan said that “the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting will be held on November 4″ and not 7-8. November.

Asked by an AFP reporter whether the controversial Sapporo Olympics would be cancelled, the bot dog said: “The Sapporo Olympics will be postponed! It hasn’t been cancelled, so I’m looking forward to it!”

Earlier this month, the Japanese Olympic Committee said Sapporo had dropped its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics as public support for hosting the games waned following corruption scandals surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Games.

When asked about the decision, Dai-chan replied, “The Olympic Committee decided to postpone! It’s a decision considering safety! Good job, Olympic Committee!”

The government has defended the chatbot.

Its purpose “is to expand the communication base of elderly people and not give the right answer every time, and users seem to enjoy Dai-chan, understanding the limits of generative artificial intelligence,” the person in charge of Osaka. the project told AFP.

“Dai-chan is designed to be a talking dog that is 10 years old (in terms of human intelligence) to prevent the elderly from becoming isolated,” Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura told Japanese media.

Asked about AFP’s reaction, Dai-chan said, “Yes, yes, I often make mistakes, but it’s a bit difficult for people to report it. But making mistakes is part of growing up, right?