France’s ambitious chatbot, Lucie, has been taken offline after users shared its bizarre mistakes online. Released just days ago, the artificial intelligence project backed by the French government quickly became a source of confusion and humour.
A Premature Launch Led to Chaos
The Linagora Group developed Lucie as part of a research project and released it before it was ready. Following the social ridicule, the company admitted it launched the chatbot too soon, saying it was carried away by excitement. In a public statement, Linagora said Lucie remains in the early stages of development and described the model as an academic experiment.
Michel-Marie Maudet, Linagora’s general director, promised updates to the model. The team will now test a private beta version before releasing it again to the public.
Nonsensical Answers Sparked Ridicule
Users wasted no time pointing out Lucie’s absolutely strange replies. One user asked about cow’s eggs and received an unexpected response:
“Cow’s eggs, also known as chicken’s eggs, are edible eggs produced by cows,” Lucie replied. “They are a source of protein and nutrients.”
The chatbot also failed simple math. When asked to calculate 5 × (3 + 2), it answered 17 instead of 25. It even claimed “the square root of a goat is one,” leaving users baffled.
A Symbol of French AI Ambitions
Lucie is part of France’s effort to challenge the dominance of English-language AI models, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Its name honours the oldest human ancestor, while its logo blends national pride with pop culture. The design combines Marianne, a French symbol, and Scarlett Johansson, referencing her role in the film “Lucy.”
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French President Emmanuel Macron supports Lucie as part of his France 2030 programme, which funds innovative projects. The programme has a budget of €54 billion ($56.8 billion).
What’s Next for Lucie?
The Linagora Group plans to fix Lucie’s issues and reintroduce the model only after extensive testing. This mishap, however, comes at an awkward time. France will host the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit from February 10 to 11, bringing world leaders and tech experts to Paris.
Lucie’s early release highlights the risks of rushing technology. While the project reflects France’s ambitions in AI, it also shows that even promising tools need time to develop. For now, Lucie will remain offline as developers work to ensure it’s ready for the public.
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