Like a lot of AI things, this seems both cool and kind of creeps me out. I've never used voice interfaces in the past (siri, the google one, whatever is on my tv) so I'm probably not the target market, but this does seem like an improvement.
The part that creeps me out is, we're living in an era where we're more disconnected from each other than ever before. Do we really need to be replacing conversations?! The demonstration video of old ladies sort of hints at something for me, which I think we already have a societal problem with the way we treat the elderly (and a massive elderly-loneliness issue) and there's kind of a sadness of imagining people becoming really close with this machine that doesn't really think. Definite ick factor.
None of the things I'm talking to ChatGPT about are replacing human conversations. It's replacing having to type a question into Google on my phone.
But you do bring up a good point with old people with no one to talk to. This technology would be a god send for them. And if you think otherwise I hope your next words are that you routinely visit nursing homes and talk with old people.
I see it a little differently here. If someone is offering a digital companion to someone who is lonely, that seems to be slightly preferable to having no connection at all.
My most common use case for voice mode is: Kid. Talking to and asking about stuff that we see outside becomes something to do together.
> I think we already have a societal problem with the way we treat the elderly
The actual problem is that we keep up the wishful thinking regarding our collective capacity and interest to entertain physically and mentally frail people. Before old people stop deteriorating in ways that make them unfun to interact with (I have high hopes we will be getting there in the next 20 years or so) this is not going to happen. Just like we are not going to save the environment by telling people to pay more for less and have less.
It's not a societal solution and I am increasingly irritated by people who pretend otherwise. It is causing so much harm under the appealing guise of humanity. It's quite the opposite and just people unwilling to deal with reality in a constructive way.
Do you think every society treats their elderly this way (not just now, historically)?
I'm just going to go out on a limb and say if you think people deserve bad treatment because they stopped being "fun" you should probably look into your moral compass.
I feel similarly. But texting became the primary form of inter-personal communication in the last couple of decades, in part because that was the primary modality technology could handle.
So, now that we can talk to computers, maybe we will feel more comfortable talking to people too? Wishful I know, but one can hope right?
The part that creeps me out is, we're living in an era where we're more disconnected from each other than ever before. Do we really need to be replacing conversations?! The demonstration video of old ladies sort of hints at something for me, which I think we already have a societal problem with the way we treat the elderly (and a massive elderly-loneliness issue) and there's kind of a sadness of imagining people becoming really close with this machine that doesn't really think. Definite ick factor.