Millions in China Confiding their Sorrows to a Chatbot Program

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.



Omega Vision
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/science/for-sympathetic-ear-more-chinese-turn-to-smartphone-program.html?ref=world

Very interesting. I don't personally scorn this, though I'd never do it myself. I think as long as it doesn't interfere with actual human connection this is a reasonable outlet for sadness and depression, better than a lot of the alternatives.

Time-Immemorial
Pshh, you went over and bought one already.

Omega Vision
Why would I have to go to China to get an app?

Time-Immemorial
Because you wanted Chinese food.

Time-Immemorial
Come to think of if, this isn't much different then siri.

Omega Vision
Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Because you wanted Chinese food.
I cook my own.

Come by some night and bring the wife, my chicken broccoli stirfry is out of this world. I serve it with rice boiled in fresh ginger root tea. g_serious

Time-Immemorial
I will when I go Miami for sure.

riv6672
Originally posted by Omega Vision
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/science/for-sympathetic-ear-more-chinese-turn-to-smartphone-program.html?ref=world

Very interesting. I don't personally scorn this, though I'd never do it myself. I think as long as it doesn't interfere with actual human connection this is a reasonable outlet for sadness and depression, better than a lot of the alternatives.
Huh.
Between the next version having a voice, and the privacy issues (though nothing is stored long term, honest), i have to say i dont like it.
People fragile enough to use this are fragile enough to suffer ill effects from it. Dependency is not a good thing.
People clever enough to hack this somehow are likely to.
Maybe not for some grand scheme, but something as simple, and evil, as having the user get a reply, or eventually told by a soothing voice, to go kill themselves.

Surtur
This story is just flat out depressing.

riv6672
^^^Talk. To. Me. Sur. Tur. What. Tru. Buls. You?

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.