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DARPA Builds Smarter Version of Microsoft's Clippy

Posted by samzenpus on from the dead-but-dreaming-of-electric-sheep dept.

holy_calamity writes "Microsoft's animated paperclip may be long dead, but a $150m DARPA project has resurrected the idea of a virtual assistant. AI researchers from more than 60 institutions worked on the project entitled CALO. CALO is designed to help ease the bureaucratic burden of the military. A consumer spinoff, Siri, is coming to the iPhone later this year. It responds to conversational voice commands to take over multi-step tasks like choosing and booking restaurants or cabs."

9 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Is it time yet... by jamstar7 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... to say "Oh, shit, there goes the neighborhood!"?

    I for one found Clippy to be annoying as hell, and was DAMNED glad they killed him.

    --
    Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
    1. Re:Is it time yet... by mrgiles · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can imagine it now.
      You: "Oh, shit, there go the neighbours!"
      iPhone Clippy (aloud): "I see you are trying to avoid your neighbours. Would you like me to. . . "
      You: "Shut up shutup SHUTUP!"

    2. Re:Is it time yet... by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 5, Funny

      I for one found Clippy to be annoying as hell, and was DAMNED glad they killed him.

      Clippy, virtual assistant. A program barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.

      --
      If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
    3. Re:Is it time yet... by Crudely_Indecent · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh, shit...

      Clippy: I've located several public bathrooms and a large cluster of shrubs nearby. Would you like directions?

      --


      "Lame" - Galaxar
  2. A consumer version? by gcnaddict · · Score: 4, Funny

    A consumer version of a military app for a widely-used phone?

    Anyone have a spare tin-foil hat?

    --
    Viable Slashdot alternatives: https://pipedot.org/ and http://soylentnews.org/
  3. Re:Hi! It looks like you want to kill insurgents? by MaXintosh · · Score: 5, Funny
    I seem to grok that this is more for the brass, to manage day to day things. Obviously, it'd be more like this:

    Hi! It looks like you're writing a justification for an un-winnable war against a nebulous enemy. Would you like help?
    * Get help distancing yourself from the blunders of the previous commander.
    * Just stumble through this conflict alone.

    [] Don't remind me of Vietnam again.

  4. Re:"Helpers" by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 4, Funny

    "It seems you want to start a war! Can I help?"

  5. Well... by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, refuse to download that App until it has a voice like Douglas Rain and calls me Dave.

    --
    http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
  6. Re:"Helpers" by Lunzo · · Score: 4, Funny
    Scene: A missile silo in the USA.

    Grunt: Sir, the radars are picking up incoming Russian nukes. We've only got 2 minutes to act!
    Commander: This is the moment we've been training for. Commence launch sequence.
    [The commander and another officer turn keys and the commander presses the red button. On the screen the following appears:]

    Hi. It looks like you're trying to launch an ICBM. Would you like to:
    • Launch a test missile.
    • Participate in M.A.D. [click here to learn more]
    • Remove Clippy and continue working (Note this will detonate your nukes without launching them). It's the only way known to permanently remove Clippy.