The Atlantic

The AI Industry Is Stuck on One Very Specific Way to Use a Chatbot

OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are dying to help plan your next trip.
Source: Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: STILLFX; Coneyl Jay / Getty.

A perfect day in Los Angeles starts with a stroll along the Venice Beach boardwalk. Then a ride on the Ferris wheel in neighboring Santa Monica. Then visit the Getty Museum, some nine miles away by car. After that, Beverly Hills, then Hollywood to see the Walk of Fame, then Griffith Park for a hike, then Chinatown for dim sum, then downtown, perhaps to catch an evening show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Or at least, that’s what a chatbot thinks a “perfect day” is. This agenda was custom-made for me by Microsoft Copilot after I told it I had one day in town to explore the sights and asked it to plan accordingly. “Certainly! 🌴🌆 Here’s a jam-packed

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