GOOD MORNING, FEMALE CHILD

We are going to have a REAL ROBOT at our tiny little Christian School on Friday.  I was very excited, and then in the faculty meeting this afternoon, the principal told us that it is a robot with "emotions" and is actually used to minister to people who are emotionally and physically unwell/who are anti-social/etc.

I have been to one conference about AI (with at least one lecture focused on emotion in automatons).  I think the subject itself is fascinating.  And I fully intend that at least one of the periods of Western Thought right afterwards will be devoted to discussion of the subject.

But was this my reaction in the faculty meeting?  No.

Principal:  It is a robot that is used to minister to people who are lonely or depressed.

Me [in robot voice]:  HELLO YOU SEEM SAD CAN I HELP YOU

Several Teachers laugh, Principal gives me a funny look.  I LOSE IT COMPLETELY and just start laughing.  The other Western Thought teacher brings up the potential for that as a topic in Western Thought on Friday.

Me [in robot voice]:  HELLO LITTLE BOY.  YOU SEEM LONELY.  WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND.

At that point I remember this Geico Commercial and the faculty meeting devolved into a discussion of it for several minutes.

And yet, they haven't decided I'm not fit to teach.  :-P


(Robot Voice closely modeled on one of my favorite commercials of all time:  Staples Robot )

GOOD MORNING, FEMALE CHILD

We are going to have a REAL ROBOT at our tiny little Christian School on Friday.  I was very excited, and then in the faculty meeting this afternoon, the principal told us that it is a robot with "emotions" and is actually used to minister to people who are emotionally and physically unwell/who are anti-social/etc.

I have been to one conference about AI (with at least one lecture focused on emotion in automatons).  I think the subject itself is fascinating.  And I fully intend that at least one of the periods of Western Thought right afterwards will be devoted to discussion of the subject.

But was this my reaction in the faculty meeting?  No.

Principal:  It is a robot that is used to minister to people who are lonely or depressed.

Me [in robot voice]:  HELLO YOU SEEM SAD CAN I HELP YOU

Several Teachers laugh, Principal gives me a funny look.  I LOSE IT COMPLETELY and just start laughing.  The other Western Thought teacher brings up the potential for that as a topic in Western Thought on Friday.

Me [in robot voice]:  HELLO LITTLE BOY.  YOU SEEM LONELY.  WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND.

At that point I remember this Geico Commercial and the faculty meeting devolved into a discussion of it for several minutes.

And yet, they haven't decided I'm not fit to teach.  :-P


(Robot Voice closely modeled on one of my favorite commercials of all time:  Staples Robot )