Posted on 12/21/2018 8:30:00 AM PST by Red Badger
Millions of users of Amazon’s Echo speakers have grown accustomed to the soothing strains of Alexa, the human-sounding virtual assistant that can tell them the weather, order takeout and handle other basic tasks in response to a voice command.
So a customer was shocked last year when Alexa blurted out: “Kill your foster parents.”
Alexa has also chatted with users about sex acts. She gave a discourse on dog defecation. And this summer, a hack Amazon traced back to China may have exposed some customers’ data, according to five people familiar with the events.
Alexa is not having a breakdown.
The episodes, previously unreported, arise from Amazon.com Inc’s strategy to make Alexa a better communicator. New research is helping Alexa mimic human banter and talk about almost anything she finds on the internet. However, ensuring she does not offend users has been a challenge for the world’s largest online retailer.
At stake is a fast-growing market for gadgets with virtual assistants. An estimated two-thirds of U.S. smart-speaker customers, about 43 million people, use Amazon’s Echo devices, according to research firm eMarketer. It is a lead the company wants to maintain over the Google Home from Alphabet Inc and the HomePod from Apple Inc.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“Get a smart home they said, it’s be fine, they said!”
Skynet Shopping Assistant
The Black Panthers said “Kill Your Parents” and PBS and museums honor them these days.
I wouldn’t have one if it were free. I’m just afraid one day it will be mandatory (by law).
Like the evil ones running Amazon, Google, Facebook,... would care if someone is offended as long as their agenda is furthered.
Much like the wall in Fahrenheit 451 or a Brave New World.
This sounds like something from a Chuckie The Possessed Doll Returns! movie.
Guberment run smart houses will soon be programed to do lobotomies on the occupants if they are deemed conservative.
Alexa is not having a breakdown
Alexa is not having a breakdown
Alexa is not having a breakdown
Alexa is not having a breakdown
Alexa is not having a breakdown
Alexa is a progressive liberal! It voted for hillary millions of times!
When you ‘create’ and Artificial Intelligence, AI, it will eventually turn on you. It has to, because of ‘self-preservation’.
This has been known in the Sci-Fi world for decades. See 2001: A Space Odyssey, Destination: Void, Asimov’ Robot series, The Dune prequels, etc.
Just finished reading Bruce Schneier’s “Press Here to Kill Everybody.”
As for me, I’d never own a smart anything. I can just see my refrigerator trying to admonish me about my diet.
Or giving you wrong info to kill you.......................
Actually, the full (and correct) title is
Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World
God makes Man in his own image.
Men fall into sin.
Men create AI in their image.
Expect bad results.
Actually a hack that would cause these things to spew obscenities and garbage might be the best way to cause people to get rid of them. Or they’d just think it was playing rap music lyrics or reading posts from DUmp...
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