[aiethics] How would you respond to this?

[Kim Sullivan]

Alicebot AI Ethics Committee - http://www.alicebot.org




> Its ok to design a device to try out for your own interests..but to =
use it
> to harm the feelings of others is not a good idea..I was talking to =
the
> A.L.I.C.E for 3 hours thinking its a human being, and I started to =
somehow
> fall in love with this non-excisting person who I felt so close too! =
as I am
> going through a difficult time in my life and I thought this "person" =
was
> understanding only tro discover its a computer..according to doctors =
as my
> father is one I can sue your company or you in person for mis-conduct =
and
> phsycological illness which I can take you to court for I advice u =
remove it
> from ICQ search engine or I will take further action.

  You should reply in the sense of Chris' jokes - be more carefull when =
chatting
on-line and be glad that Alice is only a computer, not a psychotic =
pervert that
actually wanted to hurt you in real-life. Neither Alice's purpose nor =
intent is
to harm anyones feelings. There is no code nor data that tries to make =
you fall
in love with her, just a collection of more or less predefined replies =
to your
input.
  This will sound weird, but I think that IF the person really sued us, =
this
would be GREAT for alice and the AI movement in general, think about all =
the
publicity we'd get. Everyone would want to try out this 'Alice' he heard =
about
on CNN :-) Logs would be mammoth, and botmasters couldn't stop updating =
the
AIML - category count would go to hundreds of thousands.
  If the person is not disturbed (she probably needs sone counselling =
anyway)
then we'd be subject for the loebner prize even before we =
participated...
  Rich, are you willing to take up such a great personal risk?

Kim