Hacker News Reader

That's true, but it falls under the thing I keep saying: people saying "the AI said so" with no thought or checks as an excuse for pretty much anything. And AI provided probable cause is terrifying. Minority Report was not aspirational.

View on HN

These things always existed.

"AI said so"

"The bible said so"

"The fuhrer said so"

People following things without critical thinking or the ability to question reality.

“Che Guevara said so” or “NY times said he was ‘fascist’”

While returning wrong-sized filters to Home Depot yesterday, the clerk (whom I've known for years and am friendly with) said "the computer says I cannot refund this even though I know you bought them yesterday – as your receipt indicates."

But Computer said "no."

So I just put the wrong-sized filters back on the shelf, and "stole" the correct-sized filters. Clerk and I waved upon my exit.

----

We will figure these automated systems out.

I've certainly had such nudge-nudge, wink-wink interactions around reatil system stupidity, but this isn't a general solution and not every person/demographic would have such a happy ending. Indeed, you're lucky a separate anti-shoplifting system didn't flag you for 'enhanced screening' or some such taking the friendly clerk out of the equation and handing you off to the rental security drones. Then you'll just be the guy on the surveillance camera taking a part of the shelf and walking out with it (and no they probably won't care you put a part back). The more automation, the less 'human in the loop', the less opportunity for common sense to inject itself into the scenario.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com