Tens of millions of people use smart speakers and their voice software to play games, find music or trawl for trivia. Millions more are reluctant to invite the devices and their powerful microphones into their homes out of concern that someone might be listening.
Sometimes, someone is.
Amazon.com Inc. employs thousands of people around the world to help improve the Alexa digital assistant powering its line of Echo speakers. The team listens to voice recordings captured in Echo owners’ homes and offices. The recordings are transcribed, annotated and then fed back into the software as part of an effort to eliminate gaps in Alexa’s understanding of human speech and help it better respond to commands.
The Alexa voice review process, described by seven people who have worked on the program, highlights the often-overlooked human role in training software algorithms. In marketing materials Amazon says Alexa “lives in the cloud and is always getting smarter.” But like many software tools built to learn from experience, humans are doing some of the teaching.
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I don't do Alexa
ReplyDeleteFor the life of me, I can't understand why people voluntarily put these spy devices into their homes.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they are captivated when I tell Alexa play Johnny Cash.
ReplyDeleteOf course the evil empire is listening and the lemmings keep buying into it!
ReplyDeleteQuestion, why do we need to turn out our lights via cell phone 100 miles away?
Do we really need to have a built in TV on a fridge?
Do we really need a built in TV and a computer on a fridge - really!
ReplyDeleteThey are also recording users sex acts on them.
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't already know this you are nieve.
ReplyDeleteand this is why none of those devices will come into my house. I will turn my own lights on and off. Dont need Alexa to do it for me.
ReplyDeleteand you know the Feds like new technology. How long do you think it will be before they find a way to hijack Google and its technology? Under the guise of National security. They tried hard to get into Apple a couple of years ago Under the guise of accessing phones of terrorists. They want to spy on all of us. Don't believe me? Ask Obama they were spying on everybody, thats why they want Assange and Snowdens heads on a platter, they exposed them.
ReplyDelete