Do we really want tech to read our minds?

 

I just spent a half hour trying to log into one of my online accounts.  Undoubtedly some techy has decided to require stricter passwords, or maybe they just want users to reverify for some unknown reason.  Either way I got to feel the frustration of entering codes and passwords that I knew were correct only to be told they weren't.  Figuring that it might be an issue with the website, I gave up and will try again tomorrow.

 

I wish I could say this was an uncommon experience, but it happens more often than not. 

 

So when I hear about Alexa and Astro engaging in mind-reading, I find myself wondering how helpful they can actually be.

 

When Alexa was introduced the company was surprised by the way that users treated it as if it was a human being.  This perception led to customers addressing their devices with endearing terms such as "Alexa, honey."   Amazon adjusted.

 

As of 2016, Siri, Google and Alexa have all been programmed to respond to someone saying  "I want to kill myself" by recommending a suicide helpline.  But if the phrase is less direct - e.g. "I'm having dark thoughts" or "I don't want to wake up tomorrow" they can't adjust. (Haselton & Farr, 2018)

 

Astro incorporates AI which allows it to make its own adjustments.  That's how it ended up hanging out in the kitchen of a tester's home.  As she put it - even when I am making dinner and I ask Astro for cooking timers and music - I still don't want to trip over it.  The result?  Over 70 requests that Astro leave the room in a two week time period. 

 

Astro also has facial recognition technology that allows it to differentiate household members and greet them by name - even at 4 a.m. in the morning, when perhaps they would prefer that it didn't. (Stern, 2022)

 

Meanwhile, even call centers are starting to try to read the mood of users - routing people who sound angry to operators who specialize in calming people down.

 

Ice cream calms me down.  So if Alexa thinks I'm upset should it suggest that I buy a gallon of ice cream?  (Ovide, 2021)

 

While keeping people from self harm is clearly more important than selling them stuff, it seems more likely that companies are placing more emphasis on facilitating sales.   And they will be using emotional recognition to do it - because all decisions are emotional.

 

How do you feel about tech reading your emotions?  Will you appreciate the suggestions it makes?  Or will it creep you out?

 

Other advice from tech abounds - eating right, exercising more,  even how worried you should be about getting breast cancer.  Do you engage with that type of tech?  How do you feel about taking direction from an algorithm?  Do you ignore or embrace it?

 

Do you use voice assistants and/or robots?  What issues have you had with responses? 

 

 How would you feel about information about your emotions being shared with healthcare professionals?  Or  Haagen-Dazs? 

 

 

Haselton, T. & Farr, C. (2018,  June 6) Siri, Goggle and Alexa aren't equipped to handle people with suicidal tendencies, health experts say.  cnbc.com  Retrieved April 11, 2022 from,  https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/06/siri-alexa-google-assistant-responses-to-suicidal-tendencies.html

 

Stern, J. (2022, April 6)  Amazon's Astro Robot Moved Into My House.  It Was Crazy, Creepy and Fun.  wsj.com.  Retrieved April 11, 2022, from,  https://www.wsj.com/video/series/joanna-stern-personal-technology/amazons-astro-robot-moved-into-my-house-it-was-crazy-creepy-and-fun/72C99287-3F0D-4709-9740-626135D43FD3

 

Ovide, S. (2021, May 19)  Should Alexa Read Our Moods?  nytimes.com.  Retrieved April 11, 2022, from  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/technology/alexa.html

Adjusting to life in the Metaverse.

 

Last week Dolce & Gabbana sold a digital tiara at auction for $300,000.  They say it's one-of-a-kind, but since there's no copyright protection in the metaverse - who knows.

 

Gamers have been buying items for their avatars for years, but most of those items cost just a few dollars.  The introduction of NFT's has taken digital shopping to a whole new level, so it makes sense that other companies are now interested.

 

In February, Cult & Rain, a NY based sneaker maker sold 1,179 pairs of real shoes, each paired with a digital version in the form of an NFT, priced at 0.5 ethereum. 

 

They only needed 800 sales to break even. The sale earned $2.7 million (859.5 ethereum).

 

The icing on the cake?  Cult & Rain will receive a 5% royalty whenever one of their NFTs is traded on a public platform.

 

Is it any wonder that Morgan Stanley is predicting that the digital luxury market will account for $55.2 billion by 2030?  That's 10% of projected luxury market revenues.  (Moss, 2022)

 

Why do you think people are buying digital luxury goods and NFT's?

 

Have you bought any digital goods for gaming?  Which ones?  How much did they cost?

 

Has anyone you know bought an NFT?  Have you?  Are you planning to?  If so, what's your budget?

 

Are you investing in cryptocurrency?  Why or why not?  Is anyone else you know?

 

 

Moss, T. (2022, April 1)  A $300,000 Tiara You Can Wear Only in the Metaverse.  wsj.com.  Retrieved April 4, 2022, from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-300-000-dolce-gabbana-tiara-you-can-only-wear-in-the-metaverse-11648817988

Maybe humor is the answer.

 

Think back to the last time that you flew on a plane.  Did you pay any attention at all to the safety announcement?  Probably not.

 

But one time when I was flying home on a Friday night the flight attendant surprised me by turning the speech into a comedy routine.  What surprised me even more was that I listened.

 

Apparently flight attendants aren't the only ones who have gotten in touch with their inner comedian.  Over one million people follow the TSA on Instagram.  Fashioning itself as "Teller of Travel Trips" the feed recently posted a photo of a bazooka rocket launcher found in luggage at the Raleigh-Durham airport.  (You really can't make this stuff up.)

 

My favorite post so far was the one where they picked up on "Dude with a sign," because I'm a fan of his too. :-)

 

I read that the National Park Service's feed is funny as well so I decided to follow them too, because I can always use a good laugh.

 

Research tells us that humor can be a very effective form of communication - particularly irony.

 

Do you look for humor in your life?  Have you encountered the use of humor in boring/difficult situations?  Has it helped?  Did you become more engaged in the message?  And did you respond as intended?

 

What about controversial topics?  "All in The Family" was a ground breaking 70's sitcom, which tackled serious subjects like racism and misogyny.  Its impact and influence were significant.  And, I am sure that anyone who watched it still remembers when Sammy Davis Jr. kissed Archie Bunker.  It was that shocking.

 

Given the decisiveness we see in the world today - would a little humor help?

 

 

Brooklyn, C. (2022, March 25)  The Funniest Travel Account on Instagram Is Run by the T.S.A. Seriously.  nytims.com.  Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/25/travel/tsa-social-media.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Travel