Everyday Canvas

Computerization and Annoyances

Do you experience psychological challenges of living with machine intelligence since computing power is woven into everything, and sometimes extremely erratically?

--------------------------------------

I have no problems with machine intelligence. If anything, I highly revere the computer technology and its leading us to such new horizons we could never have imagined. Machine intelligence, wrongly named as artificial intelligence, is the intelligence exhibited by machines or software. It is also the name of the academic field of study which studies how to create computers and computer software that show intelligent behavior. What people and especially companies, large and small, do with this technology is something else, however.

As to my psychological challenges with it, I can only mumble the first few words of a song. “Where do I begin to tell the story of…”

To begin with, if you ever called a company and were given the runaround by a computer without even touching the issue at hand, you’ll know what I mean.

This is a computer speaking at the other end:

Thank you for calling (company name)!

Comprimé el número nueve para Español. (A possible full minute of waiting, but only here; for other options waiting period is much less.)

I see that you are calling from (your number, character by character repeated back at you as if that was what you needed.)

Please be advised that this call will be recorded for training purposes.
Let me pull your account. For security purposes please say your father’s first name. (You say-for example-Fred)

Sorry, I didn’t get that.

Another question then. Please say or press on the keys the number of your residence. (You press 355)
3-5-5, Is this correct? Please say yes or no. (You say yes)

Sorry, I didn’t get that.

Another question then. Please say or press on the keys the last four letters of your Social Security. (You press, for example, 1089)

1089. Is this correct?
If this is correct say yes. (You say yes)

I didn’t get that. If this is correct press one. If not press two. (You press one)

Now how may I help you?
Please press one if you are calling for (Whatever option one is).

Press two (whatever option two is) … (additional options and additional numbers are given after that)

And this goes on and on, and if you are lucky, after half an hour or so, you are talking to an agent, most likely from Mexico or India or Timbuktu or Wherever, who asks you the very same questions the computer has supposedly clarified, just to answer a yes or no question or he or she is incapable of understanding your issue, so she connects you to a higher-level agent, but if through her connecting your call is dropped totally, it means you’ll go through the above process all over again. And this is one of the simpler examples. I have some horrible ones, which would have taken ten times longer to write about. But to add some comic relief to the issue, my hubby gets so flustered that he talks back to the computer: "No, you are mistaken. This isn't what I said. I said....)

It used to be, a few years ago, we were given the option of talking to an agent, but that option is totally erased nowadays, through the inherent cruelty of companies or their programmers. If this doesn’t frustrate a person, I don’t know what does!