A “Revisited” blog post indicates that I reread the original and used AI-assisted tools (e.g., Grammarly) to improve grammar and word choice.
First published January 17, 2014.
I’ve been talking a lot to my computer lately since I installed the Mavericks Operating system on my Mac. I have been quite impressed by the dictation accuracy of Nuance’s Dragon Dictate and the degree to which I can use voice commands to control the machine. Over the past 40 years, I have followed with interest developments in “communication” between humans and computers. In the ’60s, I interacted with Eliza, the Rogerian therapist; in the ’70s, the Talking Moose resided on my early Macs—useful toys. But the software’s capabilities to “read” text, translate simple conversations, and follow voice commands have dramatically improved since then and become useful in my work. What was once fiction (e.g., The Circle, 2312, Lexicon) is much closer to (dystopian) reality. The challenge remains to let technology be a tool controlled by (rather than controlling) me. It is easy to be seduced by the WOW factor.
So far, I have not QUITE formed a “singular” “SIRIous” emotional relationship with “her” nor discussed serious religious beliefs. Now, my relationship with books is another matter!
