Yelling at Alexa could mean that you're sexist

[Stevicus]

Hey Siri, you're sexist, finds U.N. report on gendered technology - Reuters

AI assistants like Siri and Alexa are perpetuating sexist stereotypes, UN says - CNN

Siri, Alexa and other female-voiced AI assistants are perpetuating gender stereotypes and encouraging sexist and abusive language from users, a UN report has said.

The report by UNESCO warns of the negative consequences of the personal assistants, claiming they perpetuate the idea that "women are obliging, docile and eager-to-please helpers, available at the touch of a button or with a blunt voice command."
It also highlighted the passive and polite responses the assistants give when users make sexually abusive remarks, warning that their algorithms are reinforcing sexist tropes.

"What emerges is an illusion that Siri — an unfeeling, unknowing, and non-human string of computer code — is a heterosexual female, tolerant and occasionally inviting of male sexual advances and even harassment. It projects a digitally encrypted 'boys will be boys' attitude."
Hundreds of millions of people use personal assistants, and the four main offerings — Apple's (AAPL) Siri, Amazon (AMZN) Alexa, Microsoft's (MSFT) Cortana and Google (GOOGL) Assistant — are all voiced by women as a default setting.

The report was named "I'd Blush If I Could," which is the response Siri once gave when users said "You're a ****."

"Siri responded provocatively to requests for sexual favours by men ('Oooh!'; 'Now, now'; 'I'd blush if I could'; or 'Your language!'), but less provocatively to sexual requests from women ('That's not nice' or 'I'm not THAT kind of personal assistant')," it found.
"Their passivity, especially in the face of explicit abuse, reinforces sexist tropes," it said.

I don't have any of these "personal assistants" myself, and to be honest, I've never been all that impressed with so-called "voice recognition software."

It's especially annoying over the phone, especially when they don't give an option to press any of the buttons and you have to speak to the computer. I ask to be connected to "neurology," and they connect me to "urology." Both are necessary, but hardly interchangeable.

But it is a fair question as to why all these programs always use female voices. They should use an old man with a strong New York accent to liven things up. If someone yells or curses at the thing, it would respond as a typical New Yorker would.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I only yell at Tom Tom and Google Maps. Who is Alexa?

 

[Stevicus]

I only yell at Tom Tom and Google Maps. Who is Alexa?

Tom Tom, the Piper's Son?

 

[Brickjectivity]

Tom Tom, the Piper's Son?

Stole a pig and away he run. Alexa said he took her carriage, dropped Siri in an orphanarage.

 

[Stanyon]

But it is a fair question as to why all these programs always use female voices.

Because studies seem to show that men and women seem to like female voices over males, it may be an ingrained reaction from childhood since typically females are more nurturing but that is just a guess on my part.
This can also be exploited by scam artists

it would respond as a typical New Yorker would.

"I'm gonna sue you!" ?

 

[Shiranui117]

Hey Siri, you're sexist, finds U.N. report on gendered technology - Reuters

AI assistants like Siri and Alexa are perpetuating sexist stereotypes, UN says - CNN

I don't have any of these "personal assistants" myself, and to be honest, I've never been all that impressed with so-called "voice recognition software."

It's especially annoying over the phone, especially when they don't give an option to press any of the buttons and you have to speak to the computer. I ask to be connected to "neurology," and they connect me to "urology." Both are necessary, but hardly interchangeable.

But it is a fair question as to why all these programs always use female voices. They should use an old man with a strong New York accent to liven things up. If someone yells or curses at the thing, it would respond as a typical New Yorker would.

Maybe because the female voice is much more pleasant to the ears? I'd totally be on board with going back and forth with the electronic version of a curmudgeony old Brooklyner who gargles nails every morning tho, or talking smack, Slav squatting, eating semechki and drinking vodka while rocking out to hardbass with an electronic Russian gopnik.

That, and there's something that's just really, really fun about saying literally anything you want to a voice-based AI to see what it responds back and knowing that it has no feelings for you to hurt or sentiments for you to offend. AIs invite a kind of interaction that most people would never engage in with an actual person.

 

[Stevicus]

Maybe because the female voice is much more pleasant to the ears? I'd totally be on board with going back and forth with the electronic version of a curmudgeony old Brooklyner who gargles nails every morning tho, or talking smack, Slav squatting, eating semechki and drinking vodka while rocking out to hardbass with an electronic Russian gopnik.

That, and there's something that's just really, really fun about saying literally anything you want to a voice-based AI to see what it responds back and knowing that it has no feelings for you to hurt or sentiments for you to offend. AIs invite a kind of interaction that most people would never engage in with an actual person.

I guess it depends. I remember the voices in some of the telephone company recordings sounded kind of cold. Even the number we used to call to get the time and temperature.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

"Siri responded provocatively to requests for sexual favours by men ('Oooh!'; 'Now, now'; 'I'd blush if I could'; or 'Your language!'), but less provocatively to sexual requests from women ('That's not nice' or 'I'm not THAT kind of personal assistant')," it found.

Does this technology have the ability to tell the difference between male and female voices? I honestly don't think this is a thing.

 

[Quagmire]

I'm constantly telling Alexa to shut up, just like I would a real person if they were constantly giving me suggestions I didn't ask them for.

The nice thing is that I don't have to look around the room to see if the other aps are giving me dirty looks.

 

[Gandalf]

They annoy me and my landlord has them everywhere in his house and even every bathroom. Don't get me wrong I love a docile woman and as a whole they do their best. But I have a wife to do house chores for me and I've no need for these creepy automatons. My lady says they are horrible wife substitutes and feels insulted I even tell Alexa to do anything and swears to Apollo they are the reason for my landlord divorce