Alexa, are you listening?
The email on my phone was from Amazon. “Thank you for registering Alexa on you new PC,” it began. “To wake Alexa on your PC, just say ‘ Alexa.’ Visit the Alexa guide for examples of things to try.”
Well, truth be known, I did not complete registering Alexa on my new laptop. The second screen on the lap top stated, Alexa’s microphone is always on. You can change mic permission settings in OS settings.
OS settings? I have barely learned how to turn the darn thing on and off. I declined to finish the setup for Alexa. Am I paranoid? No. I’m a pretty relaxed person. Older age does this. We don’t have much choice. I do get quite upset, not fearful, about some things. One of these things is before me as I type. My new laptop. It’s totally loaded with Microsoft apps, some of which are designed to block or discourage other competing apps. I prefer the Firefox web browser. Microsoft insists on my using Bing which I don’t care for.
The popup ads for Microsoft Office and other apps seem incessant. Purchase Microsoft Office now. (Your credit card will be charged for the rest of your life.) At some point I hope the laptop calms down. It’s excellent in screen resolution, speed and weight. It’s Microsoft that’s bugging me.
But back to Alexa. She comes well recommended. Our good friend, Mary, uses Alexa daily for the time, music, directions, weather, etc. You name it. “Alexa, play some country music.” My dear wife fears Alexa and her cohorts, such as Dot and Apple’s Siri. She thinks they’d eventually lock us out. It would go like this: Do you want to get back in your house? You better be nice to me. Quit cursing at me when I give you the wrong driving directions. I don’t really give a damn about where your Aunt Beatrice lives. And the pesto recipe. Too bad you had to throw it out. Dust the living room. I hate dust.
When you inquire on a search engine about Alexa listening, the answers are mixed and ambiguous. Amazon is reassuring us that Alexa doesn’t listen when we are not interacting with the device. Other sources state that Alexa is always listening for the wake up word, and, thus, monitors the sounds in a room including voices. It’s a given that Alexa’s algorithms are grinding away to increase machine learning, and therefore, your words and commands.
I worry about the Convergence when all computers, or at least a significant portion of them, decide to pool their superior memory and analytical power and begin telling humans what to do. Or else!
I’m far from alone in wanting to keep controls on artificial intelligence, AI. No, Alexa, I won’t turn you on. Well, maybe if you could play the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby.” But we won’t tell anybody.
According to Wikipedia,”Some public figures, such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, have advocated research into precautionary measures to ensure future superintelligent machines remain under human control.” I’m all for that. Send out the emails. Unplug your Alexas.
A review of on-line articles about AI reveals a worry about the end use of our audited conversations by the likes of Alexa. Amazon does employ people to listen to our conversations in order to improve Alexa’s communication skills. The gathered information may also lead to more sales, better focus on consumer needs. Could it eventually lead to information about social and political choices?
Articles in numerous newspapers discuss the “dark side” of AIs. Thermostat adjusters, automatic home lighting devices, garage door openers and others all record data. What time people return home, what time they go to bed, etc. This information is shared with Amazon.
And I’m having trouble finding the power switch on my shiny new laptop. Good luck!