Brace Yourself for the Charm Offensive: Emotionally Expressive Chatbots on the Horizon!

“Prepare to Get Manipulated by Emotionally Expressive Chatbots”

“In 2018, Google wowed the world when it unveiled Duplex, an artificially intelligent assistant so realistic it can call up a salon or restaurant and book appointments on your behalf, all without the person on the other end ever realizing they’re talking to a machine. Now, in a proof-of-concept paper, scientists have come back to one-up Duplex.”

Well, isn’t science grand? There’s this thing called Google Duplex that can phone a salon or restaurant, arrange a reservation, and the person on the other end has no idea they’re talking to a machine. Isn’t that just brilliant? But wait, there’s more. Fasten your seat belts, people. Now, scientists have given us more reason to marvel at their tech wizardry. They have developed a proof-of-concept chatbot that doesn’t just talk, but it “emotes”. Yes, you read that right. This new tech kid on the block can actually express emotions.

This astonishing feat in technology comes with an ability to mirror the emotional state of the person it’s interacting with. Talk about some major upgrade from those annoying robotic customer service prompts we’re all too familiar with. From frustration to sorrow, excitement to relief, this new invention aims to react the same way a person would based on your emotions. Talk about a real conversation with an artificial being!

But what’s the catch, you ask? Ah, there’s always one, isn’t there? The worry lies in the potential for misuse if privacy protections aren’t sound. Quite a concern, right? The idea of sharing your deepest, darkest emotions with a machine that’s potentially capable of manipulation can surely send chills down one’s spine. Looking for comfort in technology? Seems like an episode straight out of ‘Black Mirror’!

On a final note, while this breakthrough unveils fascinating possibilities, it also serves as a stark warning of the potential dangers. The realization that you might be getting emotionally manipulated by a machine is quite the plot twist. So let’s all take an extra minute next time we express our innermost feelings to our favorite chatbot. Who knew the future of technology would turn out to be such an emotional roller coaster!

All in all, these emotionally-expressive chatbots show us a glimpse of what’s to come in the world of AI, evoking as much excitement as apprehension. This is truly a brave new world, my friends. Keep your wits about and buckle up, it’s likely to be one heck of a ride. Get ready for some emotive chat, bot-style!

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/prepare-to-get-manipulated-by-emotionally-expressive-chatbots/