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Chatbot AI based on the corpus of your communications?  A recent patent suggests that this is very possible.  Michael, Andy and Michael discuss intellectual property aspects of what a future AI might create, and the nature of what such an AI would be, based on the corpus of what is available in 2021 being vastly different from the person might evolve to at a future time, had they lived long enough.  Ideas on how an AI agent could generate immortality for the user have been discussed on earlier Games At Work episodes.  See the links below for what the co-hosts thought about this subject back in 2012 and 2014.  Wonder if they might think the same things now.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had substantial impact on the entire world, and the Los Angeles times has an article which discusses the challenges for the population to secure their vaccinations.  The skills that some have developed for securing the elusive first generation iPhone or the current generation Xbox and PS5 are noted as being an advantage to securing an elusive vaccination appointment, and then actually managing to get the shot.  The Atlantic has a fascinating article that talks about the weak ties and social serendipity between people that has been all but lost due to the disruption in everyone’s daily routines.  Video conferencing cannot possibly (and does not) replace the chance encounters you used to have with the regulars at the coffee shop, or on mass transit during your work commute.  Andy remembers the terrific example of the Ambient Intimacy post by Lisa Reichelt about the power of such loose-tight relationships – please see the show notes below for an excellent read.  

The co-hosts also discuss an article from the Duke alumni magazine on Games and Culture, where this course treats play in a serious manner.  In fact, the syllabus outlines multiple quests and incorporates video and board game playing.  Sounds like our cup of tea!  Another example of a game taking a serious topic forward is Microsoft’s use of Minecraft as a way to experience the themes and goals encompassed in the annual sustainability report.  

So much more to cover – please do check out the show notes attached for links to Mayfair’s a cappella Windows sound effects, the newly announced Star Wars droid stamps from United States Post Office, Fitness+ celebrity walks, the updated remastered version of Babylon 5 and much more.

Selected Links

SYFY Wire article: Talking to the dead? Microsoft’s AI chatbot idea feels straight out of Black Mirror — https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/microsoft-AI-chatbot-patent-talk-to-dead-people 

Black Mirror — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror 

Gizmodo article: Microsoft Landed a Patent to Turn You Into a Chatbot — https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-landed-a-patent-to-turn-you-into-a-chatbot-1846113786 

Games At Work episode 26 — Business Process Management and Immortality — https://gamesatwork.biz/2012/11/04/episode26/  

Accelerando by Charles Stross — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando 

Games At Work episode 77 — (Hive)Mind Blowing — https://gamesatwork.biz/2014/02/23/episode-77-hivemind-blowing/ 

Los Angeles times article: No bathrooms. No seating. Endless lines. Struggling seniors face vaccine misery — https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-28/la-covid-vaccine-rollout-puts-seniors-at-disadvantage 

The Atlantic article: The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of Friendship — https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/01/pandemic-goodbye-casual-friends/617839/ 

Disambiguity blog post: Ambient Intimacy by Lisa Reichelt — http://www.disambiguity.com/ambient-intimacy/ 

Games At Work episode 272 — Serenity Meow — https://gamesatwork.biz/2020/05/11/episode-272-serenity-meow/ 

Duke Magazine article: “Games and Culture” course offers sociocultural understanding of play — https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/articles/games-and-culture-course-offers-sociocultural-understanding-play 

Forbes article: Video Games Are Not A Pandemic Scourge, They’re Keeping Both Children and Adults Sane — https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2021/01/17/video-games-are-not-a-pandemic-scourge-theyre-keeping-both-children-and-adults-sane 

Technabob article: The WOWCube Is a Rubik’s Cube-like Gaming System with 24 Screens — https://technabob.com/blog/2021/01/24/wowcube-24-screen-rubiks-cube/ 

The Verge article: Microsoft turned its sustainability report into a Minecraft map — https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/28/22254080/microsoft-sustainability-report-minecraft-map 

Microsoft’s 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility report — https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/sustainability/report 

Rest of World — https://restofworld.org

The Verge article: This a cappella group is scarily good at imitating Windows sound effects — https://www.theverge.com/22252590/maytree-a-cappella-group-windows-10-singing 

TechCrunch article: Apple’s new Fitness+ feature brings celebrity-guided walks to your wrist — https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/25/apples-new-fitness-feature-brings-celebrity-guided-walks-to-your-wrist/ 

Nerdist article: USPS Announces New STAR WARS Droid Stamp Set — https://nerdist.com/article/star-wars-droids-stamps-usps/ 

Engadget article: ‘Babylon 5 Remastered’ now available to buy, or stream on HBO Max — https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html?guccounter=1 

Slashfilm article: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Trailer: Titans Clash in a Massive Blockbuster Battle — https://www.slashfilm.com/first-godzilla-vs-kong-trailer/ 

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