What’s Up, Bot?
Let’s talk about chatbots. With a large amount of people combating loneliness, now is the perfect time to dive into the wonderful world of...talking to robots. This article contains a surprising look at the current state of Google Assistant’s skill at comforting lonely people. Spoiler: it’s actually pretty good at it.
“...Google Assistant didn’t solve any problems for me but it was a much welcome distraction. I was amused. I found myself smiling, then laughing, then feeling better. Then realizing that my phone had been more helpful to me than some of my own friends. Then slightly concerned. Then slightly in awe.”
Digital Health
There are even chatbots explicitly for the purpose of providing emotional support. Both Woebot and Youper provide automated cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques that have been proven to improve mental health. (It’s not a replacement for therapy, but can still improve your mood.)
If you’re interested in the future of mental health technology, check out this article which dives into the fascinating universe of games, apps and wearables for mental health and why they may be more relevant now than ever.
Connected Culture
Facebook and the Folly of Self-Regulation
Remember when Facebook announced it was getting an ethics board? Yeah, that’s actually happening. No, it won’t change much.
AI Already Controls Us
We all fear a future where AI is smarter than us. But what if bots don’t have to be more intelligent than humans to manipulate our behavior?
China's Animal Crossing gamers use code words, middlemen to enter virtual world
Ever since pro-Hong Kong activists took to Animal Crossing to criticize Xi Jingping, Animal Crossing has been tightly controlled in China. But the animal characters aren’t the only ones speaking gibberish. Now, gamers in China are talking in code to get around those regulations.
-Madi
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