Microsoft Agent

Microsoft Agent
Original author(s)Microsoft
Initial releaseSeptember 8, 1997; 27 years ago (1997-09-08)[1]
Final release
2.0 / October 12, 1998; 26 years ago (1998-10-12)[2]
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
Available inMultiple languages
Websitehttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/microsoft-agent and web.archive.org/web/20050402034116/http://www.microsoft.com/products/msagent/default.asp

Microsoft Agent is a technology developed by Microsoft which employs animated characters, text-to-speech engines, and speech recognition software to enhance interaction with computer users. It came pre-installed as part of Windows 2000 and later versions of Microsoft Windows up to Windows Vista. It was not included with Windows 7, and was completely discontinued in Windows 8. Microsoft Agent functionality was exposed as an ActiveX control that can be used by web pages.

The theory behind the software came from work on social interfaces by Clifford Nass and Byron Reeves at Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information.[3]

  1. ^ "Microsoft Agent Released to the Web for Free Download". Microsoft. 1997-09-08. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  2. ^ "Microsoft Agent 2.0 Adds a More Human Touch to Computing". Microsoft. 1998-10-12. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  3. ^ "Social science research influences computer product design". Stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2013-06-15.