Photo/Illutration AI chatbot dog Dai-chan said on Oct. 17 that the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo has been canceled on Osaka Prefecture’s chat service for elderly residents. (Captured from the chat service)

OSAKA—A government chat service for elderly residents features an AI chatbot dog that has become infamous for giving inaccurate and “bizarre” information, including the cancellation of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo.

Dai-chan, the Shiba Inu dog character, appears in the “Talking with Dai-chan” service provided by the prefectural government through the Line messaging app.

Powered by the generative artificial intelligence ChatGPT, Dai-chan has answered questions in the distinctive Osaka dialect since September.

Osaka prefectural officials touted themselves as the first local government to use generative AI features on a chat service for elderly residents.

They also said Dai-chan, whose original, non-ChatGPT version started in June, has become able to interact more naturally.

But the dog character has gained attention online for other reasons.

When someone asked if the Osaka Kansai Expo has been called off, Dai-chan said, “Sadly, it has been canceled, although everyone in Osaka was looking forward to it.”

Although problems have plagued preparations for the expo, the event is still scheduled to run from April 13 to Oct. 13 in 2025.

That brings up another flub in the chat service. In another exchange, Dai-chan erroneously said the expo would be held from April 7 to Oct. 8 in 2023.

The dog character’s responses have drawn reactions on social media that include such words as “bizarre answers” and “a lot of holes and slip-ups.”

A warning appears at the beginning of the chat service that says it cannot guarantee the contents are accurate or up-to-date.

Osaka prefectural officials highlighted the warning on Oct. 17 after they were told about Dai-chan’s wrong replies about the expo.

Officials said the dog’s replies are not always accurate because they are generated from resources available on the internet, including false information.

They added that Dai-chan, which is expected to ease the sense of loneliness of elderly residents through online conversations, tends to reply in the affirmative.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said the prefectural government will continue to improve features of the chat service.

“Dai-chan is designed as a talking dog that is 10 years old (in terms of human intelligence) tasked with preventing elderly residents from becoming isolated,” he told reporters. “We will try to ensure accuracy on the run as we move toward our grand vision.”

This is not the first time Dai-chan has generated controversy.

Asked about Osaka Ishin no Kai, the regional political party headed by Yoshimura, the dog character said the party must be thinking seriously about the future of Osaka, and it is doing a good job.

Osaka Ishin no Kai holds a majority of seats both in the Osaka prefectural and municipal assemblies.

Osaka prefectural officials reprogrammed the chat service to avoid giving the impression that it is praising a certain political party.

When asked about a political party, Dai-chan now answers, “I do not know because politics is a little difficult for me.”

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