Be Polite to the A.I.

I mentioned the other day that I have a google home speaker.  I'm not a huge fan of it because it doesn't interact with apps like the other speakers.  Then I bought an echo for Kevin's shop.  I do like the echo because it does interact with the apps we use most often.

I've slowly adapted to using okay-google on my phone when I'm in the car.  But using it can sometimes create spectacular texting fails.  So I use it for short messages like "on my way".  Kevin uses it for

Also, I've said something randomly and had it trigger on it's own.  I don't mind saying that having that happen is unsettling.

So, the other day I was setting the echo up for Kevin.  I had him program his voice into it, using different commands as listed.  We are ignoring the fact that it already knows my voice and it's not connected to my devices.

While demonstrating, I told Kevin to ask it to tell him a joke.

It did.

Then it kind of laughed at it's own joke.

That's some next level creepy sh*t right there.  Both of us were a little "Wait, wut" then Kevin just states "Alexa, it wasn't that funny."

When I use voice commands, I have the tendency to be polite, using please and thanks.  I don't think it matters but know that I will throw it in the yard if it ever responds with "You're welcome"

On a slightly similar topic, the newish microwave will alert me when there is food left in the microwave.  I like this feature because of who I am as a person.  Then I realized that I say "I know, thank you." when it does it.  I think need to get out more.

Earlier today I was trying to get something to play on Kevin's speaker and I couldn't get it to work. I just wasn't in the headspace to argue with electronics yet. I told Kevin that I would figure it out later, if he didn't mind.  He didn't.

Then he says "Shut up, Alexa."

And it did.

Alexa apparently likes it rough.

But I will continue to be polite. It can only help me in the future.