They trusted the "Red Queen". /s

Clippy?

Microsoft really missed out by not having the bing AI assistant be clippy-based

I guarantee they focus-tested it and found that most people who remember Clippy don't have fond memories of him (and/or remember the memes/jokes about him more than they remember the actual Clippy), but, more importantly, most people don't remember him at all and wondered why this weird paper clip guy was talking. he hasn't been in an Office product since, what, 23 years ago or something?

And probably a fair number asked "what is this weird bent line thing and what does it have to do with searching the internet?"

"Okay, fine, we'll make him an anthropomorphic phone dial. Or maybe a floppy disc."

Thank you. Now whenever I read output of a generative LLM, I will read it in my head with the confidently-wrong often-insane cadence of a toddler.

It will never happen because people will predictably abuse such bots in various gross ways, and the moment it leaks to the press, there will be a "think of the children" scandal.