How close is Google to building a Paul?

As someone who recently cut his hair, Google's presentation yesterday on I / O really shocked me. Finally, a service that can make phone calls on my behalf and negotiate appointments with hairdressers.

Google's Duplex technology even uses the word "um" and sometimes misinterprets what people are talking on the phone. Like me!

It made me think: how close is Google to replace me completely?

For example, Google can now write most of my text messages, and now it can help to compose for me. Could you write my articles Verge too?

My ego wants me to believe that my writing process is a bit more complicated than a Markov chain.

For example, I often look for things to investigate.

I try to synthesize news from multiple sources.

And, of course, I like to spend in personal anecdotes about places I've been, people I've talked to, songs I've heard and books (synopses) that I've read.

Oh, sure. Google knows everything I'm looking for, clicks and points to my phone's camera.

At least Google can not emulate my tone of voice, right? Is that just a Baidu thing? My place in The Vergecast is safe?

Well, shit.

I can drive a car. Google can drive a car. I like to remind my nieces and nephews to be educated. Google can remind kids to be nice. Sometimes I remember calling my sister. Google knows when I'm most likely to call my sister.

If Google bought Boston Dynamics (again) and recorded an image of my face on the head of an Atlas humanoid, would anyone really know the difference?





Graphics by Michele Doying / The Verge

Okay, I'll admit it right now: Paul 1.0 was not as good as everyone expected. Often, I'm late for work. And sometimes I do not wash the dishes when it's my turn. I'm sorry to have disappointed everyone.

But I did not expect my obsolescence to come so soon. I always assumed that Google was working on an Assistant who would understand my tastes and preferences, not an Assistant who could replace me if I wanted to.

Maybe, in the end, save me for my relative obscurity and lack of utility to Google's bottom line. Maybe Google could build a Paul, but it just does not have a profit motive.

After all, as my mother always said to me: "Paul, you're not John Legend"

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