Skype chat bots come to Mac, web to complete cross-platform rollout

Microsoft announced on Tuesday bot support for the Mac and web versions of Skype, after adding it to the Windows version weeks ago.

The bot support brings the artificial intelligence technology cross-platform, available in a new preview for the communication software. Bots available include Murphy, a bot to find and create images for "when questions can't be answered by words alone," and Summarize, a bot designed to give an overview of a web page if "you don't have time to read the whole thing".

To get started with bots on the Mac version of Skype, tap on the "Contacts" from the menu and select "Add Bot" to search for or view a list of available bots. You can download the "preview" Mac version from the Skype website.

The bots are also available on Windows, Android, iPhone, and iPad, and Skype has created a developer program for third-party developers to create bots for the platform.

Bots have become the current trend in the tech industry, as chat giants Facebook and Slack have been moving towards bot ecosystems within their messaging platforms. Current bots aim to automate tasks and serve up information.

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