“Genuine people personalities” are coming to our gadgets?
arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com
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The door refused to open. It said, "Five cents, please."
From the drawer beside the sink Joe Chip got a stainless steel knife; with it he began systematically to unscrew the bolt assembly of his apt's money-gulping door.
"I'll sue you," the door said as the first screw fell out.
Joe Chip said, "I've never been sued by a door. But I guess I can live through it."
(Philip K Dick - Ubik)
He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. “What I pay you,” he informed it, “is in the nature of a gratuity; I don’t have to pay you.”
“I think otherwise,” the door said. “Look in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this conapt.” In his desk drawer he found the contract; since signing it he had found it necessary to refer to the document many times. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.
“You discover I’m right,” the door said. It sounded smug.
Oh bloody hell, just invent something else! I work in an "AI" lab, and I just don't want any more "smart devices". I'd much prefer something that solves a problem I actually have, like for instance the godawful commute times involved in getting around here.
I feel like it would add a certain degree of magic to the world of things. The same way people grow fond of cars, guns, tools, and the like, except in this case there may be something to the percieved superiority!
Imagine self learning toys and the games they could be taught to play.
But I imagine that, like the internet, it will be so useful that the exchange of privacy for convenience will be worthwhile.
A "friend" whose every action, however minute, is carefully crafted to part you from more money, or get you to view more adverts. A "friend" who does nothing whatsoever altruistically in your interests. The most toxic type of person many of us have met is the struggling commission only salesperson. They are the ones who will come over for Christmas dinner and spend whole time trying to hard sell everyone their product/life insurance/investment opportunity.
Many will choose to avoid that person like the plague whilst possibly regretting losing their formerly benign "friend".
Me, I'd disconnect entirely if I had to have that "friend" constantly in my ear to stay connected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRq_SAuQDec
"But i'm a toaster. It is my raison d'être. I toast, therefore I am!"
A reddit thread with some waze voice packs: https://www.reddit.com/r/waze/comments/3pi5yl/waze_voice_pac...
Suitably robotic, yet not completely artificial.