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Comment by IAmNotACellist | Hacker News Reader

Corporate safe AI will just be bland, verbose, milquetoast experiences like OpenAI's. Humans want human experiences and thus competition will have a big opportunity to provide it. We treat lack of drama like a bug, and get resentful when coddled and talked down to like we're toddlers.

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Maybe it's an uncanny valley thing, but I hate the fake emotion and attitude in this demo. I'd much rather it tried harder to be bland. I want something smart but not warm, and I can't imagine being frustrated by "lack of drama".

Programmers are sometimes accused of wanting to play god and bring the computer to life, usually out of some motive like loneliness. Its kind of ironic I see engineers do better treating computers as the mechanical devices they are, and its regular people who want to anthropomorphize everything.

I want the Star Trek computer style and voice. Just the facts, to the point, no chit-chat.

I would prefer a robotic, unrealistic voice so I don’t start subconsciously thinking I’m hearing a real human speak.

You can tell it to talk in a robotic, unrealistic way and it will do so.

Here is a demo from their presentation: https://youtu.be/D9byh4MAsUQ

I have the opposite impression from that demo.

It doesn't sound like a neutral, boring voice. It sounds like an overly dramatic person pretending to be a robot.

>It sounds like an overly dramatic person pretending to be a robot

That's precisely what it was ordered to do.

That's not even AI. Imagine a store sales rep speaking like that. It's inappropriate and off-putting. We expect it to improve but it's another "it'll come" situation.

The good news is, in due time, you can decide exactly how you want your agent to talk to you. Want a snarky Italian or a pompous Englishman. It’s your choice.

https://youtu.be/HcXu4_K1tMQ?t=62

I fear government actors will work hand in glove with companies like OpenAI to limit that competition and curtail non-corporate-safe AI.

which is why I prefer platforms like c.ai that are not just bland bots designed for customer service. actually entertaining.

The upside though is Hollywood will finally be able to stop regurgitating its past and have stories about the milquetoast AI that found its groove. Oh wait.

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