Radio Lab Podcast: More of Less Human
I listened to a Radio Lab podcast titled “More or Less Human”. This podcast was designed to build awareness with listeners about what chatbots are and how they may be interacting with them more often than they previously thought. In the podcast, Brian Christian gives a precise definition of what a chatbot is by explaining how its a "computer program that exists to mimic and impersonate human beings. For example, if you are online shopping and see a box that says "Need to Chat?", you automatically assume that you'll be talking to an online human representative. Contrary to popular belief, you may actually be communicating with a chatbot. I found the podcast to be super interesting and has me wondering how often I might be talking to a machine and not a person when I'm online.
All four kinds of audio are heard in this podcast.
1. Interview Clips
One type of audio used is interview clips. Interviews are recorded on location to make the story more real or on the phone in order to bring the characters to life. Around the 2 minute mark of this podcast, Brain is interviewed by the host in person and discusses a few scenarios where people may be talking to a machine (Chatbot) and not a human.
Voice Overs
A second type of audio commonly used are voice overs. Voice overs are generally recorded in a studio and typically have a script that the narrator uses to help the storyline make more sense to listeners. To give more description of the "Lobner Competition", one of the hosts of the podcast switches gears and does a voice over with some background music 6 minutes into the podcast. He explains an experiment where participants sit at a computer and chat with someone on a screen. The participants don't know whether their chatting with a chatbot or a human.
Natural Sounds
A third type of audio used is natural sounds. Natural sounds are "sound effects" that are recorded on the sight of the location. Natural sounds were used in this podcast on several occasions. One example was during an experiment that Brian was conducting where background music (the sound effect) started to play of singers harmonizing while they set up the experiment.
Ambient Sounds
The fourth and final type of audio are ambient sounds which are background noises that create a sense of place. An example of ambient sound being used in the podcast was when the audience started clapping. This gave listeners clarification that they were listening to a live show.
Ira Glass describes in "Moments of Reflection” how building blocks and reflections can be woven together to make a story interesting.
Anecdotes
One of Ira Glass' building blocks involves the use of anecdotes. Anecdotes are when a story has a sequence of events. He explains that no matter how boring a story may seem, if you add some momentum and suspense, your audience will feel intrigued and will be on the edge of their seat. There were many uses of anecdotes in the Radio Lab ‘More of Less Human’ Podcast starting with the opening narrative between the two talk show hosts. They both set the stage for an experiment they had just held a week prior using 100 people for what they called ‘an unsuspecting showdown between people and machines.’ They created a sense of suspense for the listener because we did not know how many of the people involved in the experiment would think they were interacting with a real person when in fact they were talking to a machine. It made me want to continue listening to the podcast to find out what happened next.
Bait
Ira Glass describes another building block that involves raising a question from the beginning (like bait) which implies you will answer the question during the podcast. An example of bait was used early in the pod cast when one of the hosts put the question to Brian "well when would I ever run into a chatbot?”. The answers were fascinating. For example when you are online shopping and asking questions under the "Need to Chat?” icon your first few questions might be answered by a Chatbot before being transferred to an actual person who may handle more difficult questions. Another example that is mentioned in the podcast is that the U.S Army uses a chatbot called "Surgant Star "that recruits people into the army. Can you believe that there is an Army recruiter that is actually a Chatbot and not an Army officer???
Reflections
According to Ira Glass, Reflections are when the person telling the story pauses and says something that helps you understand why you are listening to the story, or as he put it, ‘Here’s the bigger something I’m telling you’. One example of how reflections were used in this podcast was when one of the hosts (actually during a voice over) tells the listeners what’s about to happen in the experiment they will be hearing. He describes a setting where a woman was chatting with a computer in one chat room and a person in another and she has to try to figure out which is which. This reflection helped me make more sense of what I was about to hear.
So , keep your eyes wide open next time you are online and need customer service and click that ‘chat live now’ or ‘need to chat’ button. You may be starting a discussion with a machine. Conduct your own experiment and see how long it takes you to figure out if you actually are talking to a machine or a person…I bet it will take longer than you think!
All about ME!
For those of you DYING to know the author of this blog post, here I am! My name is Morgan Drobny and Im majoring in Journalism at High Point University. My dream job is to work behind the scenes or on air of a hit talk show. One of my all time favorite hobbies is to sing. Besides singing my favorite songs in the shower, I am apart of the Petal Points all girls A Cappella group at HPU! If you're interested in what we girls have to offer, we will be hosting a Family Weekend Concert on February 2nd at 4:30! Hope to see you there :)
I listened to a Radio Lab podcast titled “More or Less Human”. This podcast was designed to build awareness with listeners about what chatbots are and how they may be interacting with them more often than they previously thought. In the podcast, Brian Christian gives a precise definition of what a chatbot is by explaining how its a "computer program that exists to mimic and impersonate human beings. For example, if you are online shopping and see a box that says "Need to Chat?", you automatically assume that you'll be talking to an online human representative. Contrary to popular belief, you may actually be communicating with a chatbot. I found the podcast to be super interesting and has me wondering how often I might be talking to a machine and not a person when I'm online.
All four kinds of audio are heard in this podcast.
1. Interview Clips
One type of audio used is interview clips. Interviews are recorded on location to make the story more real or on the phone in order to bring the characters to life. Around the 2 minute mark of this podcast, Brain is interviewed by the host in person and discusses a few scenarios where people may be talking to a machine (Chatbot) and not a human.
Voice Overs
A second type of audio commonly used are voice overs. Voice overs are generally recorded in a studio and typically have a script that the narrator uses to help the storyline make more sense to listeners. To give more description of the "Lobner Competition", one of the hosts of the podcast switches gears and does a voice over with some background music 6 minutes into the podcast. He explains an experiment where participants sit at a computer and chat with someone on a screen. The participants don't know whether their chatting with a chatbot or a human.
Natural Sounds
A third type of audio used is natural sounds. Natural sounds are "sound effects" that are recorded on the sight of the location. Natural sounds were used in this podcast on several occasions. One example was during an experiment that Brian was conducting where background music (the sound effect) started to play of singers harmonizing while they set up the experiment.
Ambient Sounds
The fourth and final type of audio are ambient sounds which are background noises that create a sense of place. An example of ambient sound being used in the podcast was when the audience started clapping. This gave listeners clarification that they were listening to a live show.
Ira Glass describes in "Moments of Reflection” how building blocks and reflections can be woven together to make a story interesting.
Anecdotes
One of Ira Glass' building blocks involves the use of anecdotes. Anecdotes are when a story has a sequence of events. He explains that no matter how boring a story may seem, if you add some momentum and suspense, your audience will feel intrigued and will be on the edge of their seat. There were many uses of anecdotes in the Radio Lab ‘More of Less Human’ Podcast starting with the opening narrative between the two talk show hosts. They both set the stage for an experiment they had just held a week prior using 100 people for what they called ‘an unsuspecting showdown between people and machines.’ They created a sense of suspense for the listener because we did not know how many of the people involved in the experiment would think they were interacting with a real person when in fact they were talking to a machine. It made me want to continue listening to the podcast to find out what happened next.
Bait
Ira Glass describes another building block that involves raising a question from the beginning (like bait) which implies you will answer the question during the podcast. An example of bait was used early in the pod cast when one of the hosts put the question to Brian "well when would I ever run into a chatbot?”. The answers were fascinating. For example when you are online shopping and asking questions under the "Need to Chat?” icon your first few questions might be answered by a Chatbot before being transferred to an actual person who may handle more difficult questions. Another example that is mentioned in the podcast is that the U.S Army uses a chatbot called "Surgant Star "that recruits people into the army. Can you believe that there is an Army recruiter that is actually a Chatbot and not an Army officer???
Reflections
According to Ira Glass, Reflections are when the person telling the story pauses and says something that helps you understand why you are listening to the story, or as he put it, ‘Here’s the bigger something I’m telling you’. One example of how reflections were used in this podcast was when one of the hosts (actually during a voice over) tells the listeners what’s about to happen in the experiment they will be hearing. He describes a setting where a woman was chatting with a computer in one chat room and a person in another and she has to try to figure out which is which. This reflection helped me make more sense of what I was about to hear.
So , keep your eyes wide open next time you are online and need customer service and click that ‘chat live now’ or ‘need to chat’ button. You may be starting a discussion with a machine. Conduct your own experiment and see how long it takes you to figure out if you actually are talking to a machine or a person…I bet it will take longer than you think!
All about ME!
For those of you DYING to know the author of this blog post, here I am! My name is Morgan Drobny and Im majoring in Journalism at High Point University. My dream job is to work behind the scenes or on air of a hit talk show. One of my all time favorite hobbies is to sing. Besides singing my favorite songs in the shower, I am apart of the Petal Points all girls A Cappella group at HPU! If you're interested in what we girls have to offer, we will be hosting a Family Weekend Concert on February 2nd at 4:30! Hope to see you there :)
Comments
Post a Comment