Robbie the Robot…………Not

I know two people who got in online arguments with a bot. The funny thing is, both of them knew their communication was with a bot but it didn’t stop them from trying to get the bot to see their side of the issue. Bots are a funny thing. Twenty years ago, I never imagined such online conversations. “Conversations”. With a robot, of all things. Fifty years ago, I probably didn’t imagine the concept of “online”, as a matter of fact. My husband is a huge proponent of picking up the phone and calling companies to speak to an actual person, although from time to time for a simple issue, he has been known to open up the chat box in the corner of the screen and briefly deal with a bot. Bots have have been programmed in great detail. They can actually answer a lot  of questions and pretty often, manage to sound like a real person. I have been known to forget it’s not!. I wondered what the answer would be when one time I asked the actual question. “Are you a bot?” The bot, of course, was indignant I had even suggested such a possibility. But another time, after a very positive experience with a bot during an inquiry about a return, I wrote in the chat box, “Thanks, you’re the best bot ever!!” You think the bot acknowledged the compliment? Not a chance. Some bots have no manners.

Picture courtesy erik_and_so_on at Pixabay.com