If you’ve watched any Olympics coverage this week, you’ve likely been confronted with an ad for Google’s Gemini AI called “Dear Sydney.” In it, a proud father seeks help writing a letter on behalf of his daughter, who is an aspiring runner and superfan of world-record-holding hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
“I’m pretty good with words, but this has to be just right,” the father intones before asking Gemini to “Help my daughter write a letter telling Sydney how inspiring she is…” Gemini dutifully responds with a draft letter in which the LLM tells the runner, on behalf of the daughter, that she wants to be “just like you.”
I think the most offensive thing about the ad is what it implies about the kinds of human tasks Google sees AI replacing. Rather than using LLMs to automate tedious busywork or difficult research questions, “Dear Sydney” presents a world where Gemini can help us offload a heartwarming shared moment of connection with our children.
Inserting Gemini into a child’s heartfelt request for parental help makes it seem like the parent in question is offloading their responsibilities to a computer in the coldest, most sterile way possible. More than that, it comes across as an attempt to avoid an opportunity to bond with a child over a shared interest in a creative way.
Okay, but what if I can’t put my feelings into words? If even LLMs have a better grip on human emotion than me?
Edit: Well, then I wouldn’t have a daughter in the first place; and I don’t. Yay?
LLMs have no ‘grip’ on human emotions. That’s part of the whole criticism with this.
Finding the words to express one’s self is an incredibly important life skill to learn. And it’s just that, a skill. It needs to be practiced in order for people to get better at it.
I know, it’s why I’m a bit sad about it.
I always was rather bad at the “soft skills”. Which is probably why I left them unattended for so long. Thanks for the reminder! (Not sarcastic)
Read more. Then, write more.
I think my problem lies elsewhere, as in “what” to read and write. But it is generally good advise, thanks.
That’s precisely my point: Reading more (specially fiction) gives you additional situations, context and ways to face different situations, as well as vocabulary, to help you express yourself when needed.