Before Siri and Alexa, there was Bonzi. In the early 2000s, a purple, talking gorilla named BonziBuddy was billed as a free virtual assistant, ready for all your internet needs.

BonziBuddy (or "Bonzi Buddy") was a piece of internet spyware masquerading as a virtual assistant. It was created by Bonzi Software, a company that was once one of the most visited sites on the ...

MANY INTERNET USERS are familiar with the Bonzi Buddy software, which places an animated purple ape on a user’s computer screen that makes Web site recommendations.

BONZI BUDDY’S most familiar product is an animated purple ape that sits on users’ computer screens and makes Web site recommendations.

Yes, friends, Bonzi Buddy, that furry purple gorilla that became the bane of Windows 98 users everywhere has made the cross-platform leap and is now ready to "assist" you in your day-to-day Mac needs.