Delivery Company's AI Chatbot Malfunctions, Uses Profanity and Slams its Own Service

A chatbot for the global courier service DPD engaged in a rather unorthodox conversation, using swear words, crafting jokes, composing a self-deprecating poem, and even labeling its employer as the “world's worst delivery company” This peculiar interaction was initiated by a customer's exasperation.

Ashley Beauchamp, a London-based pianist and conductor as per his website, shared snapshots of this peculiar chat dialogue on X (previously known as Twitter) on the same day he claimed the conversation took place. As of the report time, his post had garnered significant attention, it was viewed 1.3 million views and receiving over 20,000 likes.

This peculiar exchange is emblematic of larger issues as AI increasingly permeates various life sectors, including art, education, and business. The widespread availability of chatbots like ChatGPT has prompted companies to adopt AI to enhance their operations, sparking ongoing discussions about AI's efficacy in supplanting human roles and its potential future capabilities.

The conversation that sparked these discussions began when Beauchamp, out of frustration, declared the chatbot entirely ineffective and requested to speak with a human. Following the chatbot's inability to fulfill this request, Beauchamp took a playful approach, prompting the bot to perform various tasks. The bot complied, delivering a joke about a fish without eyes ("Fsh!"), composing a poem lamenting its uselessness, and engaging in self-criticism and company disparagement by naming DPD as the “worst delivery company in the world.”

TIME covered the incident, noting that a DPD spokesperson clarified via email on Saturday that the conversation involved a customer service chatbot. The spokesperson mentioned, "We have integrated an AI component into our chat services for many years, alongside human customer support. However, a malfunction occurred following a system update on Thursday, Jan. 18. We promptly deactivated the AI component, which is now undergoing updates."