Google Grapples With ‘Horrifying’ Reaction to Uncanny AI Tech
- Duplex robo-calling technology criticized on sports radio
- Company avoids giving digital assistant a real personality
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The most talked-about, futuristic product from Google’s developer show isn’t even finished -- but it’s already stoking heated debate.
At its I/O conference on Tuesday, Alphabet Inc.’s Google previewed Duplex, an experimental service that lets its voice-based digital assistant book appointments on its own. It was part of a slate of features, such as automated writing in emails, where Google touted how its artificial intelligence technology saves people time and effort. In a demonstration on stage, the Google Assistant spoke with a hair salon receptionist, mimicking the "ums" and "hmms" pauses of human speech. In another demo, it chatted with a restaurant employee to book a table. The audience of software coders cheered.