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Should Calls From Google's 'Duplex' System Include Initial Warning Announcements? (vortex.com)
Yesterday at its I/O developer conference, Google debuted "Duplex," an AI system for accomplishing real world tasks over the phone. "To show off its capabilities, CEO Sundar Pichai played two recordings of Google Assistant running Duplex, scheduling a hair appointment and a dinner reservation," reports Quartz. "In each, the person picking up the phone didn't seem to realize they were talking to a computer." Slashdot reader Lauren Weinstein argues that the new system should come with some sort of warning to let the other person on the line know that they are talking with a computer: With no exceptions so far, the sense of these reactions has confirmed what I suspected -- that people are just fine with talking to automated systems so long as they are aware of the fact that they are not talking to another person. They react viscerally and negatively to the concept of machine-based systems that have the effect (whether intended or not) of fooling them into believing that a human is at the other end of the line. To use the vernacular: "Don't try to con me, bro!" Luckily, there's a relatively simple way to fix this problem at this early stage -- well before it becomes a big issue impacting many lives.
I believe that all production environment calls (essentially, calls not being made for internal test purposes) from Google's Duplex system should be required by Google to include an initial verbal warning to the called party that they have been called by an automated system, not by a human being -- the exact wording of that announcement to be determined.
UPDATE (5/10/18): Google now says Duplex will identify itself to humans.
I believe that all production environment calls (essentially, calls not being made for internal test purposes) from Google's Duplex system should be required by Google to include an initial verbal warning to the called party that they have been called by an automated system, not by a human being -- the exact wording of that announcement to be determined.
UPDATE (5/10/18): Google now says Duplex will identify itself to humans.
Why on earth would we want to spend taxpayer money or government resources on this sort of thing?!?
This is the exact sort of thing that the free market should decide. If you need this degree of coddling, please see a psychologist as you have a serious phobia.
No, No, and...hell no.
uhh. YES THEY SHOULD have a warning at the very start of the call..
not only is it a computer, operated by a third party, pretending to be a person.. but also, GOOGLE IS RECORDING THE CALLS (not everyone is in a 'one party' jurisdiction) and such a notice would be ***REQUIRED BY LAW***
According to the latest LLVM debacle, yes. White males like me are indeed being specifically singled out, targeted, and attacked. It is hateful, racist and has as much place in our society as any other gender or racial bias.
Or are you saying it is okay to discriminate against me? Because that is the vibe I am getting from google and many others. I have never discriminated against anyone before and I'll be damned if I will let it happen to me.
Your not the first one to say that I am 'crying' because I am white, *hint* your still a racist asshole no matter who your being racist against.
Figuring it is A-OKAY because I am white just proves my point.
I completely agree. But there are times where Duplex could be useful.
"Ok Google, call the radio show. I need to be the 99th caller to win.", "Ok Google, buy me this ticket for this show before it gets sold out.", "Ok Google, call Xfinity, pretend that I want to move to AT&T unless they cut me a new discounted rate", "Ok Google, pretend you're an elderly woman and waste as much of this scammer's time as possible.", "Ok Google, please pick up whenever my mother-in-law calls. Tell her I am busy. Ask her what she wants and send me a summary of her complaints by SMS."
> With no exceptions so far, the sense of these reactions has confirmed what I suspected -- that people are just fine with talking to automated systems so long as they are aware of the fact that they are not talking to another person.
Let me be the first then. I hate the damn things, and I REALLY can't believe that I am exceptional in that respect.