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Google Opens Its Human-Sounding Duplex AI To Public Testing (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the marching-forward dept.

Google is moving ahead with Duplex, the stunningly human-sounding artificial intelligence software behind its new automated system that places phone calls on your behalf with a natural-sounding voice instead of a robotic one. From a report: The search giant said Wednesday it's beginning public testing of the software, which debuted in May and which is designed to make calls to businesses and book appointments. Duplex instantly raised questions over the ethics and privacy implications of using an AI assistant to hold lifelike conversations for you. Google says its plan is to start its public trial with a small group of "trusted testers" and businesses that have opted into receiving calls from Duplex. Over the "coming weeks," the software will only call businesses to confirm business and holiday hours, such as open and close times for the Fourth of July. People will be able to start booking reservations at restaurants and hair salons starting "later this summer."

36 comments

  1. Re:Nope by DarkRookie · · Score: 2

    Also looks to use the Google app which is disable since it doesn't work unless you give it ALL the permissions.

    --
    The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
  2. Excellent AI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Duplex instantly raised questions over the ethics and privacy implications of using an AI assistant to hold lifelike conversations for you

    That's some amazing AI if it's raising questions about its own use

    1. Re: Excellent AI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have no doubt that was a misrepresentation. Sigh, Google. If this is who they were when the first started, they would have never gotten off the ground, just like Ballmer's Microsoft. Their success has enabled their stupidity.

    2. Re: Excellent AI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It really isn't. It's just a reinforcement of the fact that people are already uncomfortable with the complexities of navigating the legal maze that is wiretapping law with regards to speaking with another human.

      The issue I have is how this technology will eventually be employed as an indirection mechanism utilized to avoid liability when it orchestrates questionable behavior.

      "I didn't tell it to then to install a defeat device. I told it to inform them that meeting the regulatory standards is the highest priority. It must have untranslated my intent."

      I can see the legal shenanigans already.

    3. Re:Excellent AI by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      That's some amazing AI if it's raising questions about its own use

      I think this will be another "Glasshole Moment" for Google.

      Maybe the technology is interesting . . . but it will be very annoying to too many folks.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  3. Phonesex Chatbot When? by Merk42 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just change the goals of the Duplex bot and watch the technology really take off.

  4. Tay 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Tay 2.0 incoming, in
    3...
    2...
    1...

    1. Re:Tay 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Google aren't stupid enough to allow their AI to be trained on Twitter.

  5. If I learned one thing from the age of modems... by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Funny

    Never go Full Duplex.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  6. Re:Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Heck, even /. has had its own bot for years.

    Its name is APK.

  7. Did msmash post this himself or did an AI? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How do we know msmash himself posted this to the main page of if he asked an artificial intelligence to scan through the firehose and post suitable stories to the main page?

    1. Re:Did msmash post this himself or did an AI? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is #fakenews

      Everybody knows that msmash is a ksh script that calls out to a few php modules.

  8. Re:Nope by Mogusha · · Score: 1
    Isn't the system nearly identical to the automated calling/automated systems that are in place in many businesses at the moment just on a significantly more personalised level? I understand there may be some confusion if the person on the other end doesn't know they're talking with an AI and it may be worrying if the call is recorded (really, how do the wire tapping laws work when one party isn't a human but is speaking on behalf of one, or better yet, if both parties are machines?).

    Duplex, and other systems like it that will most definitely be developed, are just an extension of what businesses are using in their calling centres already.

  9. Waypoint not destination by AlanObject · · Score: 1

    Who wants to participate in a betting pool as to when this tech will be used in commercially available sexbots?

  10. I want it to answer phonecalls on my behalf. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then, when a spoofed number marketing/scam call comes I can hit a button for duplex to answer. The two bots can talk to eachother for hours... at least until I get a real call.

  11. Yep! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see that on my caller ID I will disconnect it and delete the voice mail.

    I see that on my CallerID, I will answer with "a/s/l, wanna cyber?"

  12. Re:If I learned one thing from the age of modems.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never go Full Duplex.

    WWhhyy nnoott??

  13. This is a business opportunity by houghi · · Score: 0

    I have a business idea how to make money from this. I just go to a business and offer them the "Modern Automation For Italian Anti-call Insurance". That will prevent the business of receiving thousands of calls every day of fake reservations.
    Because it is a nice business you have there. Would be a shame if something happened to it. So get your insurance at foo-getta-bau-tit Inc.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  14. Google Opens Its AI for Public Spying by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Google provides these services so that people will help them build their panopticon. I can't wait for Google to have an extensive speech corpus which they can use to impersonate anyone...

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Google Opens Its AI for Public Spying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As anti-Google trolling goes, this is weak. They own YouTube-- how much more extensive a corpus do you think they hope to get?

    2. Re:Google Opens Its AI for Public Spying by drinkypoo · · Score: 0

      As anti-Google trolling goes, this is weak. They own YouTube-- how much more extensive a corpus do you think they hope to get?

      Youtube videos are uploaded by users who know what they're doing. These voice samples will be captures from unwitting "users", who don't. I note you didn't log in. Did you know your argument was idiotic when you made it, or are you a coward all day, every day? Why don't you just go ahead and tell us which of your other comments I shot down, which made you upset enough to look through my posting history to try to find some other comment you could argue down? Pity about your failure, failure.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  15. Re:Nope by sycodon · · Score: 1

    One more reason to not answer any calls not in your contact list.

    Chaps my ass that Android Droid Turbo doesn't have a feature to send ALL calls not in the contacts to voice mail and to easily block them.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  16. Replace Slashdot Editors with A.I. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just kidding, never mind.

  17. How long before this is used for robocalls? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The crappy recordings are easy to spot and hang up on at this point. If they can set this up to naturally respond to a human on the other end of the line, it'll greatly increase the efficiency of the robocalling businesses. What a terrific way to waste someone's time! Amazing technology!

  18. Google Glass by captaindomon · · Score: 1

    It's Google Glass all over again. The folks running this program are looking at it as a technological curiosity, not how it could be integrated into society.

    --
    Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
  19. Duplex please call Moe's Bar and... by skids · · Score: 1

    ... I can't get the picture of Bart Simpson using this to lodge crank calls out of my head.

    --
    Someone had to do it.
  20. Re:If I learned one thing from the age of modems.. by nnet · · Score: 2

    Because if you tr{#`%${%&`+'${`%&NO CARRIER

  21. Lying headline by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 2

    It's not a "public" test in any sense of the word. It's a test between whitelisted earlier adopters on both sides of the call.

    By that definition, I suppose my bank account routing numbers are "public" because several select institutions know them and communicate them to each other on my behalf.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
    1. Re:Lying headline by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      I should point out bank account numbers are public on the bottom of a check... but I cannot recall the last time I used one of those.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  22. So... by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Google is now going to put all the phone sex lines out of business too? "Hey Duplex, what are you wearing?"

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  23. how do you sign up to test? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    how do you sign up to test?

  24. Are they getting close by TomGreenhaw · · Score: 1

    to passing the Turing test?

    --
    Greed is the root of all evil.