[agentultra]

Teaching our kids about Siri and Alexa... and how to subvert it.

By not participating. Reading books. Enjoying time together at a park. Finding mirth in games and late night conversations.

By teaching them to pick up their own groceries, shop local, use the library, see local performances, and enjoying our neighbourhood.

If 2010’s were all about staying in and binging on Netflix I hope the next decade will be about getting out and letting our computers gather dust.

[SamuelAdams]

The author's later point is that this may not be an option.

"Where a home just has one of these [AI / connected home]. Like an in-sink trash disposal, or an answering machine."

Consider phones. In the early 2000's, most people had a cell phone. By 2010, most people have a smart phone. These devices are much more capable than their predecessors. I've read books (Hans Rosling, Factfulness) that suggested communities with access to smartphones have a 3% GDP increase over communities with cell phones. That number may seem small, but remember it's a global scale. 3% is a significant amount.

The current state of AI is where cell phones were 20 years ago. We may get to a point where not using AI (as you said, "not participating") may put yourself at a clear disadvantage - you will not be as capable as your peers.

It's sort of like those 50-60 year olds in the workforce who refuse to use a computer. They've always done their job a particular way, but they are not as productive as some of the younger hires who use computers. Then they are shocked when they are laid off - their current (disadvantaged) output is far below what is expected, since technology has become ubiquitous and people expect you to be able to use a computer to do your job.

[Mediterraneo10]

More likely, wearable computing and augmented reality will allow people to get out of the house and to the parks or local performances, while still remaining fully jacked into the social-media world.

As for books and libraries: when libraries are upgraded these days, or new ones are built, the new buildings focus heavily on providing people with connectivity and games, with books relegated to an afterthought that you have to request from closed stacks (i.e. you have to already know what you want and patiently wait for it to arrive). I don’t envy any parent trying to bring their children up with 20th-century notions of reading.