AI struggles to read clocks and calendars effectively

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh conducted tests on AI chatbots to see how well they can read analog clocks and calendars. They found that these AI systems, like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, can only correctly read a clock face 25% of the time. The difficulties stem from the AI's lack of spatial awareness, context, and basic math skills. The researchers tested various types of clock faces, including those with Roman numerals and colored dials. They discovered that the more complex the clock design, the more likely the AI would get confused. In a separate test, the researchers examined the AI's understanding of a calendar that shows an entire year on one page. While the AI did slightly better, it still struggled with simple questions, such as identifying the day of the week for New Year’s Day. These tasks are usually mastered by young children by second grade. Lead researcher Rohit Saxena emphasized that AI's limitations must be resolved before it can be reliably used in practical applications like scheduling and automation.