Alexa, Find Help... No, Not That Kind of Help!
Over the weekend, I was chewing the fat with a business colleague of mine. We're both huge Beatles fans, and, perhaps inevitably, our conversation drifted from music to AI. We found ourselves talking about how artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere at the moment—constantly being pushed, promoted, and, in many cases, rammed down our throats on a daily basis. He then flipped me this cartoon, and I have to admit, it did make me chuckle…
Artificial Intelligence has become the glitter of the tech world. Open your email? AI. Buy a toaster? AI-enhanced browning. Need a toothbrush? It now has "AI-powered plaque detection," because apparently your molars weren't sophisticated enough before.
Every product launch, TV commercial, keynote speech, and software update now includes the mandatory phrase: "Now with AI!" It's as if marketing departments have replaced "new and improved" with two magical letters that instantly justify a higher price tag.
The irony is that, for all the AI being shoved into every corner of our lives, sometimes we just want something to do the simple thing we actually asked for.
"Set a timer."
"I've created a productivity workflow to optimise your cooking experience."
"NO... just... ten minutes."
We're not against AI. Far from it. It's genuinely remarkable when it helps doctors diagnose disease, assists scientists with research, or saves us from staring at spreadsheets until our eyes cross. But somewhere between genuine innovation and AI-infused dog food, we've crossed into parody.
The cartoon perfectly captures the modern dilemma. We ask for help, and instead we get an algorithmically curated experience, complete with mood music, personalised recommendations, and a request to rate our satisfaction afterwards.
Sometimes the smartest tech isn't the one that predicts our next purchase or writes our shopping list. It's the one that understands when a human being simply needs... well... help…
Until then, if I ever get trapped under a chair, I'm shouting for my neighbour.
Not Alexa!
Comments welcomed, as always…
MC
