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Google Assistant Used to Fire Gun

posted by martyb on Thursday May 31 2018, @09:55PM   Printer-friendly
from the OK-Google,-open-the-pod-bay-doors dept.

takyon writes:

Google Assistant fired a gun: We need to talk

For better or worse, Google Assistant can do it all. From mundane tasks like turning on your lights and setting reminders to convincingly mimicking human speech patterns, the AI helper is so capable it's scary. Its latest (unofficial) ability, though, is a bit more sinister. Artist Alexander Reben recently taught Assistant to fire a gun. Fortunately, the victim was an apple, not a living being. The 30-second video, simply titled "Google Shoots," shows Reben saying "OK Google, activate gun." Barely a second later, a buzzer goes off, the gun fires, and Assistant responds "Sure, turning on the gun." On the surface, the footage is underwhelming -- nothing visually arresting is really happening. But peel back the layers even a little, and it's obvious this project is meant to provoke a conversation on the boundaries of what AI should be allowed to do.

As Reben told Engadget, "the discourse around such a(n) apparatus is more important than its physical presence." For this project he chose to use Google Assistant, but said it could have been an Amazon Echo "or some other input device as well." At the same time, the device triggered "could have been a back massaging chair or an ice cream maker."

But Reben chose to arm Assistant with a gun. And given the concerns raised by Google's Duplex AI since I/O earlier this month, as well as the seemingly never-ending mass shootings in America, his decision is astute.

"OK Google, No more talking." / "OK Google, No more Mr. Nice Guy." / "OK Google, This is America." / "OK Google, [Trigger word]."

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  • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 31 2018, @11:59PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 31 2018, @11:59PM (#686993)

    Every time I read one of your posts, I am both deeply horrified and...

    Well, actually I'm just deeply horrified.

    This is like season of 9 of Dallas, right? I'm going to wake up any minute now, go to work, and then look forward to watching the presidential debate between Bernie Sanders and John Kasich.

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  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 01 2018, @05:25AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 01 2018, @05:25AM (#687111)

    I want to know who/what this is. I mean...
    It almost reads like a (almost) successful attempt at the turning test.

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 01 2018, @01:02PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 01 2018, @01:02PM (#687217)

      It almost reads like a (almost) successful attempt at the turning test.

      “Almost” because of taking the wrong turn?