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Dots: Always-on agents

767 points · 647 comments · alvis

  1. jesse_dot_id · · focus · HN ↗
    The only reasons I can think for OpenAI and Meta to make their always-on agents cute little cartoons are all nefarious in nature.
    1. tavavex · · focus · HN ↗
      People are already doing most of the work of anthropomorphising LLMs, so OpenAI is just capitalizing on that. Drawing a face on it will make people even more attached to the LLM, they will treat it even more like a person. If they ever get desperate for money they could change the cancel flow to have the cute character plead not to die, and play a cartoony animation of its death when the subscription is canceled. It would stop at least a few users.
      1. galaxyLogic · · focus · HN ↗
        Good point. I've though about my own mental attitude when interacting with AI agents. When they do something good I feel like saying "Thank You". Does that make sense? I guess it does because it communicates to the model their output was correct. But it feels silly to say "thank You" to a machine. I guess I just have to get over it?
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