Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Robots call the police on squabbling couple

Here is another sign that our robot overlords are taking over.

ABC News reports:
A smart home device alerted authorities to an alleged assault at a residence in New Mexico earlier this week.

Eduardo Barros was house-sitting with his girlfriend and her daughter Sunday night at a residence in Tijeras, some 15 miles east of Albuquerque. The couple got into an argument and the altercation became physical, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff Department's spokesperson, Deputy Felicia Romero.

Barros allegedly wielded a firearm and threatened to kill his girlfriend, asking her: "Did you call the sheriffs?" A smart speaker, which was hooked up to a surround sound system inside the home, recognized that as a voice command and called 911, Romero said.

The sheriff's department said deputies arrived on scene and were able to remove the woman and her daughter from the residence. The woman sustained injuries from the altercation but was not taken to a hospital. Her daughter was unharmed, according to Romero.

A crisis negotiation team, as well as a SWAT team, were deployed to the home and were able to take Barros into custody after an hours-long stand-off, Romero said.

Authorities said the smart device potentially played a life-saving role in the incident.
Most ppl probably think this is great. Furthermore, they probably see it as desirable to have robots reporting domestic violence, because the girlfriend may not act in her own best interest.

Cops, prosecutors, judges, or other officials will decide whether couples have a healthy relationship, and issue restraining orders if they don't. Eventually robots may make those decisions.

Eventually robots could police use of profane language, offensive opinions, discriminatory practices, failure to recycle trash properly, or anything else political incorrect.

Update: Amazon says that it was unlikely that its Echo/Alexa product was used, contrary to the police report. The point remains that such a product could be making 911 calls, based on an AI analysis of private conversations.

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