- Joined
- Jan 4, 2003
- Messages
- 8,039
- Reaction score
- 846
http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/...695922402/640x360_MP4_4524904067695922402.mp4
Via another source
"Our intrepid device questioner also tried phrasing the question differently, and asking about different agencies, leading to this conversation:
Speaker: “Alexa, Are you connected to the internet?”
FireTV: “Yes, I am connected to the internet.”
Speaker: “Are you connected to the FBI?”
FireTV: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble… please try again in a little while.”
Speaker: “What is the FBI?”
FireTV: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States.”
Speaker: “Are you connected to the FBI?”
FireTV: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble… please try again in a little while.”
When the question was phrased differently, however — as, “Are you sending data to” or, “Are you communicating with the FBI,” Alexa returns, “I wasn’t able to understand the question I heard,” which is its regular response when it can’t parse you into something it “understands.”
It sounds like a case of suspiciously selective hearing, amusing and worrying all at the same time. What it is, though, is basically a glitch: Alexa isn’t a plain text parser like the 30-year-old games of the Zork era, but it’s not an independent intelligence, either. It’s pretty good at context, for a piece of software, but can’t necessarily take a nuanced question — like the many different meanings of “connected” an English-speaking human might use — and turn them into a valid response if it hasn’t been taught to.
We asked Amazon about it, and a representative for the company told us, “This was a technical glitch which we have fixed. Alexa’s response to this question now is: ‘Are you connected to the CIA?’ ‘No, I work for Amazon.'”
And indeed, by the time your friendly local Consumerist got home to have a go at the FireTV, Alexa did indeed return, “No, I work for Amazon” as the response to questions about being connected to the CIA, FBI, and NSA."
Yeah sure, Amazon or any other retail outlet selling these are going to amit it anyway
Via another source
"Our intrepid device questioner also tried phrasing the question differently, and asking about different agencies, leading to this conversation:
Speaker: “Alexa, Are you connected to the internet?”
FireTV: “Yes, I am connected to the internet.”
Speaker: “Are you connected to the FBI?”
FireTV: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble… please try again in a little while.”
Speaker: “What is the FBI?”
FireTV: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States.”
Speaker: “Are you connected to the FBI?”
FireTV: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble… please try again in a little while.”
When the question was phrased differently, however — as, “Are you sending data to” or, “Are you communicating with the FBI,” Alexa returns, “I wasn’t able to understand the question I heard,” which is its regular response when it can’t parse you into something it “understands.”
It sounds like a case of suspiciously selective hearing, amusing and worrying all at the same time. What it is, though, is basically a glitch: Alexa isn’t a plain text parser like the 30-year-old games of the Zork era, but it’s not an independent intelligence, either. It’s pretty good at context, for a piece of software, but can’t necessarily take a nuanced question — like the many different meanings of “connected” an English-speaking human might use — and turn them into a valid response if it hasn’t been taught to.
We asked Amazon about it, and a representative for the company told us, “This was a technical glitch which we have fixed. Alexa’s response to this question now is: ‘Are you connected to the CIA?’ ‘No, I work for Amazon.'”
And indeed, by the time your friendly local Consumerist got home to have a go at the FireTV, Alexa did indeed return, “No, I work for Amazon” as the response to questions about being connected to the CIA, FBI, and NSA."
Yeah sure, Amazon or any other retail outlet selling these are going to amit it anyway
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