AI has turn into a focus of discourse and, at times, heated debates. The underlying concerns usually are not unfounded. Its penetration into just about all areas of labor and lifestyle has touched the core of human existence. Not only is the technology driving a wave of innovation, optimization, and a number of other useful applications, but its widespread adoption has also broadened the horizon for problematic impacts.
The spread of faux or false information on a big scale has increased significantly. Biased and discriminatory programming is one other problem, as are issues related to consumer privacy, identity fraud, the rise of AI capitalism, job relocation, economic inequality, AI hallucinations, unethical values ​​in AI systems, and use for illegal purposes . The list goes on.
Each of those implications has not gone unnoticed by the experts. They have discussed such scenarios in public forums. While efforts are being made to attenuate or eliminate risks, experts admit it’s ultimately a guessing game. The prediction of how AI might develop could well be exceeded by its actual development. The very public debate between the 2 godfathers of AI, Yann LeCun And Joshua Bengiodidn't help matters, causing further confusion and concern.
However, one area of ​​concern that has received little to no attention concerns the innovation and marketing industry: how should one go about naming or branding something latest when developing services and products?
What's in a reputation?
While technology naming could appear trivial, it could have unexpected consequences in today's world, especially given the anthropomorphic conventions often utilized in naming AI agents, bots, and the like.
Take service interfaces for instance, particularly within the Western world, where female names are sometimes used. McKinsey's AI assistant is known as Lilli; Hanson Robotics' social robot responds to the name Sophia; Microsoft's personal activity assistant is known as Cortana; And then there's probably the most famous virtual assistant of all: Alexa – although “she” could also be connected to Siri on the go.
That being said, using female names for AI bots you control can introduce confirmation bias and reinforce the concept women are subservient to men. This just isn’t just an implication. Additionally, the usage of anthropomorphic conventions when naming AI can influence the perceived potential for harm since it makes it appear as if it has a “mind of its own.”
Furthermore, behaving like a god without fully understanding the possible consequences of what one is creating risks complete aversion to technology should its intelligence surpass that of humans. While this may occasionally seem trivial, it could make some tech firms' fearsome transformation approaches easier.
Where do people stand on the worth spectrum if this technology can surpass anything anyone can create? For many individuals, human-like AI makes it difficult to tell apart between the non-commercial and business pillars of interpersonal relationships comparable to personality, morality and trust.
Experience: The name we give ourselves
The first wave of digital transformation gained necessary insights into the second-order effects. As an example, one need only take a look at the mass commercialization of social media and digital interfaces. Due to the loosening of social norms, society is seeing a rise in anonymized aggression and even hate speech online. It continues to be too early to estimate the long-term impact, as digital anthropology is a comparatively latest academic field. However, impacts are likely and will increase over time.
As inconsequential as it might sound, the identical “rule” applies to naming AI in all its various iterations. Technology must be viewed as an enabler slightly than competition for real individuals. Innovation and marketing teams must help their customers higher navigate the AI ​​world, and a part of the journey will take a look at the naming conventions used. These conventions can thoroughly determine the long-term success of recent technologies.
As Martin Heidegger once said: “Everywhere we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm it or deny it.” But we’re at its mercy within the worst possible way after we view it as something neutral; Because this view of it, which we particularly prefer to pay homage to today, makes us completely blind to the essence of technology.” You should at all times keep these words in mind.
A rose by some other name
For guidance and confirmation, you’ll be able to review the naming standards used for medicines and URLs.
To be sure that nobody could make assumptions about effectiveness that would significantly affect consumer perception and likelihood of purchase, naming regulations are in place. Regarding Name genericsYou must use two syllables within the prefix, not contain specific letters, and avoid medical terminology. Names which might be too imaginative may result in greater scrutiny and rejection.
When it involves URLs, the main focus is on keeping all the pieces clear and concise. Another advice is to make use of lower case letters and avoid special characters. The goal is to have a reputation that consists entirely of letters, hyphens, and numbers, together with “names” that specifically explain the components of the web site. Deviating from these guidelines can result in problems.
Likewise, AI tools would profit from similar naming conventions. This approach helps keep the technology squarely inside the product category, a minimum of within the eyes of the patron. After all, it’s what it’s. Anthropomorphic naming conventions can have the other effect and make AI seem to be a alternative for humans. Moving away from giving the technology a human name also opens up the chance to clarify the goals and capabilities of that technology.
Names at the moment are brands. To be honest, they were brands before branding even existed. Richard Branson serves as proof of this. Celebrities and public figures comparable to Cher, Madonna, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, Marie Kondo, Rihanna, Neil Patel and Simon Sinek have also turn into brands in their very own right.
Not that folks would necessarily confuse AI with an actual person, but the usage of anthropomorphic naming conventions can result in implications far beyond gender stereotyping. It can lead people to treat technology like people and blur the lines between humans and machines.
