Chatbot

Online Google has a chatbot available whose thought banks have been inculcated using an artificial neural network feeding from dialogues from movies. Telling you who the main character was in the blockbuster film trilogy Star Wars (Luke Skywalker) is a cinch for it and it will tell you whether cats can fly or not, in case you did not know, but its big strength is said to be its ability to pontificate about philosophy and life.

Baidu brought its cognitive assistant Duer to the world in September. Users can get it to search for informations either by talking to it or by typing, and each time users call on its services, details about them and their preferences are stored in Duer's memory banks.

But for the moment in China, Xiaobing seems to take the cake with her down-at-home advice to those looking for a shoulder to cry on.

When you wake up the day after breaking up with a partner, Xiaobing gently reminds you that this is the first day of the rest of your life and that you can change your hairstyle or wear pretty clothes to cheer yourself up.

"Don't forget to take nice photos," she says.

At that moment, any consolation that gives you may be further reinforced by knowing that on the second, third, and fourth day, she will be there to support you until the 34th day, because Xiaobing has let it be known that she believes 33 days is enough to heal a broken heart.

Which means that on the 34th day you may feel so confident and independent that you can look Xiaobing in the eye and say: "Darling, I don't need you any more."

Xiaobingby the numbers

17 years age of Microsoft's chatbot Xiaobing, whose personality is described as adorable and naughty

2.5 million follow Xiaobing on Sina Weibo

15 million questions answered by Xiaobing on the August day she returned from hiatus, after a commercial dispute between Tencent and Microsoft kept her offline