I heard this story last week, from the mother of a toddler.
The kid is home, playing with grandpa. Kid is just past the peek-a-boo stage, now experimenting with hide and go seek. Like most kids of this age, hiding generally involves standing on the other side of a chair or putting a piece of paper on her head. Not really hidden. But Grampa didn't get the message. When it's his time to hide he goes in the other room. Toddler takes hands off eyes, looks around. Doesn't see Grampa. Looks a little bit worried but doesn't move. Waits another minute. Shouts out, "Alexa, where's Grampa?"
I'm going to let you sit with that.
It led us to all kinds of questions. Including about advertising on these devices. Others in the group said it's small, but growing. This article says it's already here and that we (the people) like it. All of us agreed it seems inevitable.
Question for nonprofits: you ready to pay whatever it will cost to make sure you are the one (and only) response when someone starts asking, "Alexa (others), who should I donate money to?"
Question for the rest of us: You really want some engineered algorithm (no doubt based on who paid the most) telling you where to give your money?
Sigh.
