Motherlode: When artificial intelligence is real enough – TheSpec.com

Over the past couple of years, I've notice little suggested replies showing up at the bottom of emails I receive. It's to help me along with answering my mail. The first time I noticed them, I pulled a face. "How phoney," I thought. "Are we really incapable of sending back a polite answer without a silly prompt?"

I went out of my way to ignore them, and also make sure nothing I replied was one of the prompts. Even if the prompt was exactly what I intended to say. I would not let the artificial intelligence terrorists win.

Ari, 25, laughed at me.

"Those things are generated to mimic what you do say," he explained. I told him there was no way I used that many exclamation marks. Every kid at the table for dinner that day started laughing. Apparently, I do.

"I'm trying to be nice to all of you, in case you're having a bad day. I am a ray of sunshine," I reminded them. I see people whining when store clerks or servers reply, "no problem!" when thanked and I want to slap them. If someone answers you with a smile and a kindly intended response, the thing to do is to get on with your day and be glad you had a nice interaction. Instead, I see people who demand to be told, "you're most welcome, Mrs. Whifflebottom." They've been watching way too much Downton Abbey.

When I text the kids, I ponder over every word and period so I don't appear abrupt. I don't think they ponder nearly as hard. I admit the way I approach words is both cautious and clinical; it's a work hazard to be misinterpreted, and it's my job to make sure I'm clear. Everyone who reads something brings his or her own experience and baggage to it, so I read things at least three ways before committing.

I treat texts no differently. I'm a "kk"-er. One k sounds dismissive to my ear. Two sounds like I'm nodding and smiling. The kids think I'm nuts. They also use kk when they respond to me or I'll call them and ask why they're mad.

Ari is a fan of the predictive text feature. As you start a word, it offers up what it thinks you are about to say. It's some algorithm based on words you used most frequently, and he blazes through. I'm an indifferent texter, and my offered words are comprised of way too many swear words and car brands. I plod along, spelling things correctly and taking no shortcuts.

When Ari started working last year, I knew he wouldn't have his phone at hand and if I needed to contact him, I'd infrequently send a short text and wait until he got back to me, if at all. He didn't seem to think, "can you get more cat food on your way home please?" required an answer. I told him it did. For a while, I was getting a "kk" but I knew he was being snarky. He wanted no part of a conversation where I told him his text responses made me feel sad.

But it changed. Maybe it was a new-found respect for his mother, maybe it was a job that gave him more and more responsibility, but his attitude changed. His answers got far more polite, and even enthusiastic. If I told him his cat had done something funny, I even got an exclamation point.

Link:
Motherlode: When artificial intelligence is real enough - TheSpec.com