Busted: Insurance Telemarketing Robot Denies Being A Robot

[Tampa Bay Rep]

Here is a video from the Today Show about a reporter getting a robocall from an interactive telemarketing robot about insurance. The robot is programmed to laugh when asked if they are a robot and says that they are a real person.

Robot telemarketer denies being a robot - Video on TODAY.com

Here is a Time Magazine article and audio recordings about this story. There are 2 recordings, it is the second one that the Today Show took a snippet from which is about 2 minutes long. When asked about being a robot it is denied and when the question is pushed about being a robot, the robot says that "we must have a bad connection, can you hear me OK?"

Samantha West The Telemarketer Robot Who Swears She's Not a Robot | TIME.com

 

[unic.consulting]

I had a similar "person" call me a few weeks ago about our credit card fees. No chance of it passing the Turing test although it does have a good voice chip

 

[LGilmore]

If it's not a robo, it is someone who won't stray from the script at all. I usually find that with international telemarketers.

 

[Thad.Sipple]

If it's not a robo, it is someone who won't stray from the script at all. I usually find that with international telemarketers.

It's called an avatar program.

 

[ActuaryHere]

Provide some jobs for the unemployed, ridiculous. Saw video today of a robot that looks so life-like its scary. We don't need robots to take our jobs...

 

[Tampa Bay Rep]

At one point the reporter asks what vegetable is found in tomato soup and was not able to get an answer (which begs the question, Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Which according to OxfordDictionaries.com "the answer to the question is that a tomato is technically the fruit of the tomato plant, but it's used as a vegetable in cooking.")

The reporter also asked what day of the week is it? and is not able to get a response.

Some same it a real person and others are convinced it is a robot. What do you think?

 

[Rearden]

That's some pretty incredible software, and no doubt it's in its infancy.

 

[Newby]

I've been called by those things about health insurance several times. You kind of hear white noise when they are talking and it quits when they wait for your response.

I'll start screwing with them next time.

 

[Thad.Sipple]

I should have said it is an Avatar voice system. What is done is a professional voice person records the script and all the normal objections, rebuttal, closes, normal responses in a conversation, etc.

Then the call goes out and it is monitored by a live person, say from the Philippines (low hourly wage) and the TM monitors the calls and directs the Voice Avatar to respond accordingly.

It's pretty ingenious, and once set up your TM hourly cost is pretty darn low, but expensive to get set up. It's basically legal because a live TM is on the call (kinda) and because an over seas TM can be used the hourly rate is low and you don't have to worry about the english barrier.

 

[somarco]

Saw video today of a robot that looks so life-like its scary.

I'll start screwing with them next time.

Lonesome?