What was Microsoft thinking with this? They realized, or should have realized BOB was a bad idea, we weren't that dumb. But then Clippy? So that when hardware

What was Microsoft thinking with this? They realized, or should have realized BOB was a bad idea, we weren't that dumb. But then Clippy? So that when hardware was 10,000 times better, and software that much more refined, there would be a literal strongman/person who would emerge from your device and force you this direction or that?