At I/O 2018, Google unveiled countless products and services to a captivated audience. Many of these presentations caused excitement among attendees and outside viewers. Consumers and industry members caught a glimpse of upcoming Google projects as well. Unfortunately, one of the biggest reveals at the event also became the most controversial moments at the developer conference. It all centers around something called Duplex.
What Is Google Duplex? What Happened At I/O 2018?
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, took the stage to unveil Google Duplex. The Duplex system falls under the feature set of Google Assistant, an AI-powered voice assistant. In simple terms, Duplex allows Assistant to place calls and make appointments. A call is placed to a restaurant or a hair salon where Duplex handles the appointment setting. Human beings are taken out of the equation, and a human-like AI takes over the conversation.
Google showcased Duplex at I/O 2018 to set an appointment with a hair salon. At the time, the AI’s human-like voice wowed the in-person audience. Everyone watching at home looked on in horror, and a large portion of the tech community erupted in outrage. Critics immediately cried foul about Duplex and accused Google of abusing its power. Undoubtedly, Duplex and human-like AI brings up the potential for a number of issues.
Google Responds By Adding Disclosure To Duplex Calls
During the developer conference, Pichai never mentioned disclosure for Duplex calls. Google responded to the furor by adding a disclosure notice to all calls placed through the Duplex system. This ensures the person on the other end knows they’re talking to a voice assistant rather than a human being. Since disclosure wasn’t mentioned during the presentation, critics further accused Google of being irresponsible.
Critics maintained their displeasure and distrust because Google more than likely had no plans for disclosure originally. Duplex is an incredible feat of artificial intelligence and natural language processing. However, something like Duplex could be utilized for spam calls and other deceptive practices. Privacy experts fear what Duplex could mean for personal privacy, and other issues will arise after a commercial release of Duplex.
Currently, Google Duplex isn’t available as a commercial release. A release date for the AI feature isn’t available, and this controversy may push back its release. The general public may challenge Google to make a more responsible AI-powered voice assistant. In the coming months, Google will need to respond to all of these concerns with valid responses. Its plans for Duplex could otherwise backfire against the company.
Dil Bole Oberoi
