Smart Replies Are Dumb, And Here’s Why

I already feel that the English language and communication skills are slipping into a muddled mess of confusing messages. My posts about the “Lost Art of Communication” and “Use Your Words, not Emojis!” address the many ways our modes of communication have deteriorated since the invention of smart phones. But this new “improvement,” is anything but an improvement. It’s ridiculous, and here’s why.

 

Google’s new “Smart Replies” tries to analyze your conversation and then offers ready-to- send responses to a photo – as if emojis weren’t enough. It picks out something unique about the photo and then conjures up a cute remark. For instance, for a photo of an adorable puppy, the remark might be “so cute!” While this might be the natural progression in social media technology, if we can’t write a 3-word reply ourselves, we really have bigger problems to consider. 

 

First, if we’re too busy to respond to a photo, then we probably shouldn’t be on social media. Suggestion: don’t try to multitask. See my posts “There’s No Such Thing as Multi-Tasking While Studying” and “Why You Shouldn’t Use Laptops or Tablets in Class.”  Just get your work done and then indulge in social media when you can write your own responses.

 

Second, if words don’t come to mind about a photo, then move on. The best responses are those genuine ones that come from the heart. Nobody wants a robot responding to their posts anyway.

 

Third, when you let artificial intelligence (AI) speak and act on your behalf, you’re stepping away from healthy human interaction. It’ll be more difficult for you to have face-to- face or any kind of direct human relationships, and that can lead to feelings of isolation and depression.

 

So, slow down. Fully engage in whatever you’re doing. And spend some time communicating with friends and loved ones directly.

 

[Source]