Being Social to help train Artificial Intelligence – Redefining Social, are we?

In this world of increasingly smart consumer appliances, I think it’s time we take a breather and look back at what makes for this artificial intelligence (AI). Doesn’t AI make life better? It does, right? Isn’t a washing machine that can download applications by accessing your home wifi, scheduling washing and coordinating your water temperature better than having to do it manually?

But will we participate is the question in the ‘training experience’.

This was first referenced to by an article I read in DNA Money, an interview with Mr. Hakan Eriksson who said that companies like Electrolux, IFB and Siemens would love to know how you’re washing your clothes – hot water or cold, detergent usage, how many litres of water are being used so they can remember and self-load in future. But then the company asks you these questions to better your experience, to gain some feedback and you say “Hey, no, I don’t want to participate in this survey” while you spend a large part of your day on Facebook chatting with friends discussing much more private things.

In a more decidedly Indian scenario, think about a myriad of examples to this effect. Kaya Skin Clinic requests you to message back toll-free about your experience with them, as does Vodafone. But the initial frustration that you’ve had with the telecom provider irks you enough to not want to opt-in and participate in a series of questions about your experience with the telecom officer- even though it could better the experience for someone else, even though you will spend that time day-dreaming or probably checking your Tweets. There’s a whole category of people who think they already ‘wasted’ enough time on the telecom officer who couldn’t solve their problem in the first place, but they don’t realise how their input could probably better it for 10 other people in future; they don’t realise that they could well be one of those ten!

In this increasingly social world, we bother to create a bigger, better avatar about ourselves on social networks – trying to populate our profiles with the coolest of books, the most famous bands, hobbies and movies but what about those social aspects with a return on investment? What about experiences like these.

Can we then safely call ourselves social without being a part of said and similar examples? If yes, then we’ve just unknowingly redefined Social. If no, then we’re just beginning to ponder....and you know what? Sometimes, that’s all that matters :)

So the next time your upset with your Online travel portal voucher and want to right it – argue, berate, discuss and opine, but don’t turn away from that extra email id and phone number the guy asks off you to call up and get some feedback about teething trouble with his newly launched wap site. Give – Feedback, brickbats, compliments and bouquets. It’s time we look at these things as a long term investment...