New York City Mayor Eric Adams is standing by the city’s recently launched artificial intelligence chatbot, despite reports of inaccuracies in its responses to business owners. The MyCity chatbot, introduced as a pilot program in October, was intended to provide business owners with reliable information in response to their queries. However, concerns have been raised about the chatbot providing incorrect advice that could potentially lead to legal violations.
Mayor Adams acknowledged the issues with the chatbot, including instances where it wrongly suggested that employers could withhold tips from workers and claimed there were no regulations regarding notifying employees of schedule changes. Despite these shortcomings, Adams emphasized the importance of refining the technology through real-world testing to address any flaws.
The chatbot’s inaccuracies, such as misinformation about labor laws and minimum wage rates, have raised questions about the reliability of AI technology in providing accurate guidance. While the chatbot continues to be available online, efforts are being made to rectify the errors and improve its functionality.
The city’s collaboration with Microsoft’s Azure AI service for the chatbot has encountered challenges common to generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, which can sometimes generate misleading or erroneous responses. Microsoft is working with the city to resolve these issues, although specific details about the causes of the problems remain undisclosed.
In response to the concerns raised, disclaimers have been updated on the MyCity chatbot website to caution users about the potential inaccuracies in its responses. Business advocates, such as Andrew Rigie from the NYC Hospitality Alliance, have expressed support for leveraging AI technology to assist businesses but have stressed the importance of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information provided.
As efforts to enhance the chatbot’s performance continue, the city aims to address the discrepancies and provide more reliable guidance to business owners seeking information through this AI-driven platform.
