Josh Ward off - Josh 367
Apr 15, 2016 Climate: Ward Josh As you may know, Microsoft recently launched a Chat-bot called 'Tay' as an experiment in "conversational understanding." "The more you chat with Tay", said Microsoft, "the smarter it gets, learning to engage people through "casual and playful conversation." "
But as the Verge noted.
Unfortunately, the conversations didn't stay playful for long. Pretty soon after Tay launched, people starting tweeting the bot with all sorts of misogynistic, racist, and Donald Trumpist remarks. And Tay — being essentially a robot parrot with an internet connection — started repeating these sentiments back to users, proving correct that old programming adage: flaming garbage pile in, flaming garbage pile out.
Sounds familiar? Well, we learned the other day that Bob Ward's Twitter account may be manned by something very similar.
Looks like it's going to last a lot longer than Tay.
Reader Comments (36)
Thanks, It made my day.
Bob Ward is the new Mekon?**
**Green and a kon: about right.......
It amuses me that Grantholm has probably lost a fortune pushing all this crap.
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A cartoon with something witty would have been better.
There WAS an automatic chat generator in the old MS-DOS days - look up RACTER. It generated off-the-wall replies, rather than the "Tell me more" responses of the old ELIZA. Maybe Bob resurrected it?
Does the Bob-Bot get profanity related pay?
Clearly the Bob-Bot does not rely on Unreliable electricity supplies.
@Apr 15, 2016 at 3:12 PM | Unregistered Commenterkim
The trouble is that Ward's employer has money to burn (which may be a more effective way of generating electricity than by using solar panels, or wind machines).
I recall that after the 2014 elections in the United States, there was a degree of schadenfreude, regarding the amount of dosh the monumental hypocrite Tom Steyer had splurged on propping up campaigns. In the end, the only successful candidates he supported were the ones who had been expected to win in the first place. It was a huge waste of money, but (and this was what people missed) it was a drop in the ocean for Steyer.
And Steyer made a lot of his money in coal. His is a completely unnecessary guilt complex. As such, there is not enough money to ever assuage it. We ought to feel pity, and do, but why doesn't he just stop the self-flagellation?
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Shouldn't the device be labelled "Climate Auto-SCAT?
Hope it runs on good old reliable renewable power.
"Racist and Donald Trumpist remarks". - what a good prhase, I shall have to use it myself.
Sounds familiar? Well, we learned the other day that Bob Ward's Twitter account may be manned by something very similar.
Now that would answer a lot of questions regarding 'Bob the Bot'.
More evidence supporting Microsoft's strategy to fire engineers and hire censors. It's inspiring. One day, soon hopefully, we will all be the chat-bots we are meant to be.
I like Trump
Sorry if this upsets the bien-pensant toffs around
To be frank , although Bob 'fast fingers ' Ward's paymaster is a very rich man , hopping to richer still.
Given the 'finger mens' simply awful record in PR and marketing of 'the cause ' , you would have considered that be now Bob would have been let go so he could take his talents elsewhere. But no thanks to 30 pieces of silver Bob is still hiding behind the LSE banner knocking out the type of a diet of facts , which although it lacks in roughish, does have strong laxity effect . To what seems no point at all .
Sounds familiar, yes. Will this be known in future milliseconds as the 'Tay Communications Disaster "Which will be remember’d for a very long time?"'
John Smith-Smith, McGonagall's poem, the 'Tay Bridge Disaster', has been remembered for a very long time, as one of the most disastrous poems of all time.
The train wreck resulting from the bad design and construction of the Tay Bridge, has been forgotten as the worst UK train crash in terms of fatalities.
This particular disaster will be remembered, but hopefully further fatalities will be avoided from this mad and bad, mann conceived design.
Ayla, how very remiss of us, your acolytes, not to respond to your latest pearl of wisdom sooner.
I must first admit to the heinous crime of misunderstanding the last word of your first utterance "More evidence supporting Microsoft's strategy to fire engineers and hire censors". My spelling was never good, and I had initial visions of giant incense burners swinging in Microsoft's main office.
A quick visit to social media chat sites reveals your vision of the future is almost with us.
Remote censoring will get you in touch with the most distant Gods.
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Oh Lord, forgive Kim for his blasphemous spelling.
Something has disturbed his soul for on another thread he has confessed to pouring petrol over his holy Prius.
It was not the burnt meat which reached the Gods in sacrifice, it was the smell of it.
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I've found some of the racist comments (only the Hitler type, though) but none misogynistic. The bot went after feminism but only feminists think every woman is a feminist. Did anyone find broader racist remarks and actually misogynistic ones? Thanks.
Ayla, not so much racist, but I wanted to add some Greenist comments, though as a typical bloke, I just didn't know which buttons to press, and didn't want to ask, as I was pretending to be busy, avoiding the washing up.
Ayla.
Do you test us with such questions?
Have we not repeatedly demonstrated our resolve to follow your Delphic utterances in their entirety?
Who would dare dispute your findings of racism and absence of misogyny?
Let him (for it can only be a him) stand forth and he will be smitten right rotten.
A Tay day tort of day today,
A tort of snail and thorn;
But flail away, alack, alay,
There's reason to be shorn.
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No, no tricks. Just looking for data.
Ayla, if you find any data, tell a climate scientist. Some of them have been looking for decades, without success.
Ayla.
Can it be true, are you are a Trekkie?
Ain't that the tune, indeed. No data.
Anyway, back to business.
Climate deniers, your days are over. Repent or face the music.
Despair not Ayla. We search for your desired android.
When found, will you allow Data to play with your zyther?
And from what direction will come this musical ecstasy?
For we poor deniers cannot renounce our climate sins
And so must hear the music forever like a clockwork kumquot.
You'd better not let me model you, Mr. Kendall.
After a lifetime a now-cherished personal message, but I am bereft
Ayla I understandeth not,
Am I to be cloned?
To the defeat of your oft-stated climate aspirations?
Pleas for enlightenment I know will be futile
Your Delphicity remains intact.
I am ignorant.
Yes, you are. That's why Climate Overlords are needed.
Ayla, for just a moment I thought you false. A definitive answer is unprecedented and a sign of an absence of Delphicness. But then realisation struck - there was ONE answer for TWO questions.
But what are these climate overlords (COs)? Can the leaders of our commercial word all be under your spell?
"Ayla, for just a moment I thought you false. A definitive answer is unprecedented and a sign of an absence of Delphicness."
Alan , just call the hierophant in Delphi, and tell him to put another shilling in the Oracle's gas meter.
She'll be right as rain.
Sorry Russell, I know you're only trying to help but, shillings (even if one could be found) are not legal tender in Greece. I do believe they have a very few of those left. Perhaps that hierophant fella could get one.
I'm sure you're right about the gas though, Delphic Oracles lived in caves and saw visions as a result of seeping methane. Maybe the flow rate is down. Do you think Ayla needs a good frakking?
Don't think I'll ask her though, she's in a bad mood (a right pythia!); threatened me with being modelled she did