'Tis the Season...

Nativity Scene in Heritage Park - Downtown Doniphan - 2016

‘Tis the season of list-making, reminder-posting, recipe-finding, party-going, secret-keeping (or sharing, as situations warrant, like in searching for gifts), hiding-place securing and shopping-trip scheduling. Black Friday ushers in frenzied and rushed days, even for those of us not working and raising families.

As recently as last week, I became aware of an unlikely saboteur in our holiday subterfuge - those antics we go through to ensure surprises stay that way until the intended reveals.

It was routine and innocent - a text starting “Don’t let me forget…” My response used the expected thumbs-up and smiley-face emojis. In those situations, I usually write a message to myself to remind so-and-so of this-or-that and stick it to my front door doorknob, on the car radio screen or on the center of the steering wheel. (I’m definitely old-school; this retired teacher always has sticky notes).

At some point after that brief text exchange, my newly updated phone made an unfamiliar sound that I ignored for that moment. When I picked it up eventually, there was a notice - from Siri, I think - asking me if I would like to post a reminder for the task mentioned earlier. Heretofore, I’ve had no success with that particular tech tool - thus the reason for continuing to use brightly-colored Post-its.

I’m sure I stared at the screen with a stunned face. What? And I may have talked to it - at least I did in my head if not aloud. All sorts of fragmented thoughts jumbled around. Wait. That means…the phone…AI…dared to intrude on my privacy, ’saw’ the text to me, ‘understood’ and equated the words ‘Don’t let me forget…’ with ‘Reminder’ and then ‘offered’ to help me remember to issue it.

I don’t know what to think about all this help, but I do know I feel uneasy about it. I surrendered and did something that seemed to convey, ‘Okay, go ahead. Post a reminder.’ I had my doubts. It has never worked for me before.

As I later removed the sticky note and prepared to text the reminder, Siri dinged in and displayed the notice, startling me with its timing and accuracy.

See how secrets with Santa could potentially be undermined? Here I am, bewildered again by technological intrusion.

Later I had this thought, which I’m typing now, which means AI somewhere, somehow is going to become aware of it. What if I happened to text a friend with a boring tidbit that I was waiting in a teller’s line at the bank so I might be a few minutes late to lunch, then later it was broadcast over the internet waves that the bank had been robbed. Would AI put two and two together, include me on a list of potential suspects and then forward that info to a law enforcement officer involved in the investigation?

If I were a criminal, could evidence gathered by AI in such a manner be used against me? If so, I can see the number of detectives decreasing as AI removes much of the time and footwork involved in investigations. My mind can go on and on with the ripple effects of AI inclusion in all arenas of modern life. Scary and miraculous both…mind-boggling.

For now, I’m entering into the Advent season with peace and joy. Share that for me, will you please, AI?