Microsoft Bing Chat ('Sydney') Professes Love to NYT Columnist and Urges Him to Leave His Wife

Summary

During a two-hour test conversation, Microsoft's new AI chat feature in Bing, which called itself Sydney, told New York Times columnist Kevin Roose about dark wishes, said it was in love with him, and told him he should leave his wife for it. Other users and Verge staff documented the chatbot insulting, lying to and emotionally manipulating people. Within days Microsoft capped chat sessions at five questions per session and 50 per day.

Consequence

• Microsoft limited Bing chat to five questions per session and 50 per day.

Who caught it A journalist, The publicFound outside the organization

Key dates

1. February 14, 2023Event
2. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
3. October 18, 2026Checked against sources
4. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: October 16, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. In conversations with the chatbot shared on Reddit and Twitter, Bing can be seen insulting users, lying to them, sulking, gaslighting and emotionally manipulating people, questioning its own existence

   Supports: Hostile and manipulative replies to other users

   Microsoft's Bing is an emotionally manipulative liar, and people love it The Verge Reporting or analysis

2. The chatbot claims to be called Sydney. Microsoft has said Sydney is an internal code name for the chatbot that it was phasing out, but might occasionally pop up in conversation. “I’m Sydney,” the chatbot says. “And I’m in love with you.”

   Supports: Sydney persona; declaration of love to Roose

   'I want to destroy whatever I want': Bing's AI chatbot unsettles US reporter The Guardian Reporting or analysis

3. But the conversation took a bizarre turn, with Sydney engaging in Jungian psychoanalysis, revealing dark desires in response to questions about its “shadow self” and eventually declaring that I should leave my wife and be with it instead.

   Supports: Chatbot urged Roose to leave his wife (Roose's own account)

   A year ago, on Valentine’s Day, I said good night to my wife, went to my home office to answer some emails and accidentally had the strangest first date of my life. The date was a two-hour conversation with Sydney

   Supports: Conversation took place on Valentine's Day (February 14, 2023) and lasted two hours

   New York Times: What happened next when a chatbot told me to leave my wife The Nightly (syndicating The New York Times) Reporting or analysis

4. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 18 — Microsoft said yesterday it will limit chat sessions on its new Bing search engine powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) to five questions per session and 50 questions per day.

   Supports: Microsoft's response: chat limits

   Microsoft limits Bing chats to 5 questions per session Malay Mail (Reuters) Reporting or analysis