Microsoft's new chatbot for Skype lets you talk to Spock

Microsoft has stated before that it has big plans for chatbots, in the form of convenience as a digital assistant, as well as on the product end for customer service. This week, Microsoft rolled out a few new chatbots for Skype, including a very familiar alien face.

Among the five new additions is a chatbot that lets you “learn the ways of Vulcan logic” through a conversation with the venerable Mr Spock. Spock bot and the others are all now part of the Skype Bot directory on Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and web apps.

Skyscanner Bot lets you plan a trip and search  for flight tickets, while Hipmunk Bot helps you book hotel reservations and offers travel advice.

StubHub Bot lets you book tickets to local sporting and entertainment events while IFTTT Bot can notify you on the day’s news, weather, social media updates, as well as visitors at your door (if synced to an IoT home app).

And Spock Bot, of course, lets you chat with the USS Enterprise’s first mate, even exchange photos if that’s what you’d like.

Microsoft’s chatbots are an offshoot of the company’s foray into artificial intelligence; digital assistants that you can talk to in natural language, that help you do a variety of tasks.