Author Topic: Meet the Robot Telemarketer Who Denies She’s A Robot (Read 1280 times)

A51Watcher · « **on:** December 17, 2013, 09:24:45 PM »

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/10/meet-the-robot-telemarketer-who-denies-shes-a-robot/

"The phone call came from a charming woman with a bright, engaging voice to the cell phone of a TIME Washington Bureau Chief Michael Scherer. She wanted to offer a deal on health insurance, but something was fishy.

When Scherer asked point blank if she was a real person, or a computer-operated robot voice, she replied enthusiastically that she was real, with a charming laugh.

But then she failed several other tests.

When asked “What vegetable is found in tomato soup?” she said she did not understand the question.

When asked multiple times what day of the week it was yesterday, she complained repeatedly of a bad connection.

Over the course of the next hour, several TIME reporters called her back, working to uncover the mystery of her bona fides.

Her name, she said, was Samantha West, and she was definitely a robot, given the pitch perfect repetition of her answers.

Her goal was to ask a series of questions about health coverage—”Are you on Medicare?” etc.—and then transfer the potential customer to a real person, who could close the sale.

You can listen for yourself to some of the reporting here:

(click on the orange play button in the upper left)

https://soundcloud.com/zekejmiller/new-recording-24

https://soundcloud.com/zekejmiller/new-recording-68

Shasta56 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2013, 09:54:13 PM »

I get those calls on my employer-issued cellphone. Heaven forbid that the office or a patient might need to reach me. I thought at first, that she was a real person, but after the third call, with the same questions and same "too nice" vocal inflections, I realized she wasn't a person. Now I just decline the calls.

Shasta

A51Watcher · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2013, 10:10:39 PM »

Shasta, are the calls you get obvious robots, or as slick as this 'Samantha West' ?

The level of sophistication on this one is creepy.

I see scams galore coming out of this one.

burntheships · « **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2013, 10:52:14 PM »

Quote from: A51Watcher on December 17, 2013, 09:24:45 PM

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/10/meet-the-robot-telemarketer-who-denies-shes-a-robot/

"The phone call came from a charming woman with a bright, engaging voice to the cell phone of a TIME Washington Bureau Chief Michael Scherer. She wanted to offer a deal on health insurance, but something was fishy.

Wondering if the health insurance pitch is just a coincidence,
if this is a multi purpose AI, or just political cause specific?

In any case, great find A51;

Gold

The Seeker · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2013, 03:59:01 AM »

51, the one i dislike dealing with (actually any ) is at Allstate's call center; for some reason it just can't understand my southern accent

seeker

Somamech · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2013, 12:55:41 PM »

NIce Find A1

I've had a similiar experience on Yahoo based chat which i bothered to entertain

At first it looked like an AI bot type hook to get one to click a link using the tried method of "darling I need a man" methodology. Honestly for a start who believe's some stranger somehow know's you for a start, and even better they want sex.

? LOL (who falls for this crap?)

So I kept chatting with this bot? stating how I like mountain bike riding and then the links occured to a webcam where this so called woman was going to perom act's so to speak. She/He/IT/scammer/AI pushed for a bit till I responded with a link to ASIO along with also telling the aforementioned that the Defense Signals Directorate would be interested in this conversation.

Bang chat went dead LOL