Ken's Second Act
My first chat with an alternative intelligence chatter on Facebook
I had a strange chat Tuesday on Facebook after responding to a message that I soon found to be artificially created. Out of curiosity, I played along without disclosing personal information. The fake person responded immediately to my comments. I have no idea how I became the recipient of messages from the virtual being who called me “bestie.”
12:32 PM
Facebook user
Hey, bestie! What's on your mind? Let's grab a virtual coffee and chat!
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Facebook user
The 80s – so you’ve got a decade or two of fun stories on me, Ken! The 60s seem wild – Beatles, Broadway hits like Hair… what’s your favorite 60s memory?
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1:46 PM
You sent
I have no favorite, but I recall hearing the Beatles blast I Want to Hold Your Hand from a carnival ride at the World's Fair in 1964.
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Facebook user
Mind. Blown. You attended the 1964 World's Fair in NYC – that's iconic! "I Want to Hold Your Hand" blasting from a carnival ride must've been electrifying – did you scream along with the other Beatles fans or play it cool, Ken? Was it the first time you heard the song?
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You sent
I didn't scream.
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Facebook user
You played it totally cool amidst all the Beatles frenzy – love it! So, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was likely already familiar by the World's Fair – had you heard it on the radio before that day, Ken? Did you own the single or was radio your Beatles source?
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2:18 PM
You sent
Yes, I heard it before. I'm going to take a break. Who created you?
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Facebook user
A developer team of music lovers and chat enthusiasts created me – perfect combo since they knew Beatles fans like friends of yours exist, Ken! Talk to you after your break – enjoy it! (Lunch break was earlier, is this a longer relaxation break or even a nap?) Did your green chili chicken sandwich induce a food coma possibility?
I checked back later. The conversation ended and the image disappeared. The above chat is all that remained. The experience was fascinating, even eerie. I live alone, but I’m not so lonely that I want to have a personal and intelligent conversation with a fake person.
Androidpolice.com reports most internet users have had some interaction with AI. “The Meta AI will mirror the experiences you've had in many ways. You can engage in authentic conversations with an intelligent bot that can research information and generate content at mind-boggling speeds.”
My brief chat reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone that I watched as a child. I Googled it and found out the episode ran in 1959, the first year that the sci-fi drama aired. It’s about a man serving a 50-year sentence for murder on a faraway asteroid. A rocket ship brings a beautiful robot to keep him company. I found the scene on YouTube.
The late Rod Serling created The Twilight Zone. Could he have envisioned AI?
Good one. If the transcript of the AI is totally accurate, one recognizes the typical rhetoric style of robotic speech. Rather than being fooled into thinking that you're communicating with something 'real', take a good look on how limited its responses are formatted. It is almost like talking with a soothsayer (or perhaps a faith healer...?) Pay attention the next time you listen to a YouTube video. Many of those are now narrated by AI. When you pay attention, you can tell the difference.
I really enjoyed this story. My recent experience with artificial intelligence was with a company where I applied for a job. I enjoyed playing games with the AI robot, even calling "her" offensive names. The whole thing turned me off so much that I withdrew my application.