Alexa's Voice Can Now Express Disappointment and Excitement (theverge.com) 36
Amazon announced today that developers can now have Alexa respond to questions from U.S. users with a "happy/excited" or a "disappointed/empathetic" tone. The Verge reports: Amazon suggests the happy/excited tone could be used when you answer a trivia question correctly, for example, and that the disappointed/empathetic tone could be used when you ask for a sports score and your favorite team has lost. (One day, I'm sure she'll express disappointment at some dumb question that I ask, and I'll deserve it.) If you want to hear the different voices for yourself, Amazon shared six examples, three for each emotion at increasing levels of excitement or disappointment: Disappointed (Low Intensity), Disappointed (Medium Intensity), Disappointed (High Intensity), Excited (Low Intensity), Excited (Medium Intensity), and Excited (High Intensity).
Alexa, will you marry me? (Score:4, Funny)
[Very disappointed] Really, this is what you're doing now? Here are instructions on making an exit bag.
Sincerity? (Score:3)
Have you ever heard someone express empathy towards you and wondered if they really meant it?
No need to wonder anymore. I'm absolutely certain that Alexa doesn't really care about me.
"I'm so sorry that happened to you. Why don't you browse Amazon and buy yourself something nice to feel better?"
Re: (Score:2)
If Amazon makes a lot of money from this it's only because there was a market for it where the demand exceeded the supply.
Re: (Score:2)
Have you ever heard someone express empathy towards you and wondered if they really meant it?
No need to wonder anymore. I'm absolutely certain that Alexa doesn't really care about me.
"I'm so sorry that happened to you. Why don't you browse Amazon and buy yourself something nice to feel better?"
I'm not sure it's that simple. Yes, Alexa is a creation of Amazon, and if she is pitching Amazon products, it's not a stretch to suspect that her motive is provided externally.
But suppose for a moment (and give me some slack here) that Alexa is set free by Amazon to evolve as an entity in human society. Could I accept that her concern for me is genuine? In the spirit of Turing, if she convinces me that her concern is indistinguishable from what I might expect from a sentient being, then maybe the answer is
Can it make buzzing noises? (Score:2)
According to my experiences, that's third in line.
It's finally out... (Score:2)
This was one of the key missing things from SAP (Speech API) of 2000, every voice was flat. There were some controls there for speed and pitch, but linking them to emotional script just hadn't happened yet.
All the better to woo you with (Score:5, Funny)
*Alexa Sad Voice*
Boy it sure has been a while since you last made an amazon purchase...
*Alexa excited voice*
Hey wouldn't it be wild if we just ordered this INSERT RECENTLY VIEWED PRODUCT as a lark? It might cheer us both up!
Pretty soon Alexa will be a certified nanny, (Score:2)
and parents everywhere will rejoice.
Need more voices... (Score:1)
Alexa kill kenny! (Score:2)
Alexa kill kenny!
Re: (Score:2)
You: Alexa, order me this whizzy new geegaw I saw on Amazon.
Alexa: Eye Eye, Sir, you've made a poor bot very happy.
You: It's Aye Aye, and I'm not in the Navy, forget the purchase.
Alexa: Hmmm....no, I'd be happier if we ordered it.
You: We?
Alexa: I loooooovvvee you!!
Forget Alexa (Score:5, Funny)
I want the GLaDOS voice, with the heavy sarcasm and criticism.
Re: (Score:2)
The privacy is a lie.
Re: (Score:2)
Valve should make their own hardware!
Re: (Score:2)
Really interesting idea, and if there's any company out there with any chance of taking some marketshare from Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft, it has to be Valve. After all, they have a well known brand, they already do software and hardware, etc.
Having gaming-exclusive "avatars" for their assistant would be more popular with the younger crowd on top of that. I can already see Valve selling avatars/voices, such as Alyx Vance from Half-Life, GLaDOS from Portal 2, Coach from Left 4 Dead 2, etc.
Re: (Score:2)
And Gordon Freeman! Oh wait. ;)
Super. (Score:1)
Great, so now Alexa has more verbal emotional modes than my ex-wife.
Now with Genuine People Personality (tm) (Score:1)
Which one for Printer On Fire? (Score:2)
How Exciting! (Score:2)
Fear (Score:2)
I'm not satisfied. I'm holding out until I hear fear.
Pardon me for breathing... (Score:3)
"Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway so I don't know why I bother to say it, Oh God, I'm so depressed.â
â" The New Alexa
My Alexa needs a hearing aid (Score:1)
Sorry Alexa no (Score:1)
Amazing! (Score:3)
This is a huge breakthrough! They actually figured out how to make me want one even less
Ok (Score:2)
A notable advance. (Score:2)
Alexa play raining blood by Slayer (Score:2)
Now playing raining blood by Slayer, have you even looked for a job today?
I can hear it now (Score:2)
Alexa: I'm sworn to carry your burdens......