Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

scmp.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 52 posts

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#41

Post by sofixa »

wouterjanl wrote: post #40

Article 5 (f) of the EU AI Act, fresh from the press (published two weeks ago), prohibits "the (...) use of AI systems to infer emotions of a natural person in the areas of workplace and education institutions, except where the use of the AI system is intended to be put in place or into the market for medical or safety reasons". [1] Penalties consist of fines up to EUR 35M or 7% of an undertaking's turnover, whicheve…

But I was told the EU was just overregulating AI and no innovation and etc...

I have to say I'm impressed by how quickly the EU managed to hash out AI regulations. I've only skimmed it but there are multiple good things there, on top of the above, like bans on critical decisions being taken only by AI, the need to have humans in the loop, the ability to be able to explain AI decisions for important things, etc.

It will definitely have kinks to iron out, but it's a good start and shows what good AI regulations could look like.

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#42

Post by sofixa »

irjustin wrote: post #21
olalonde wrote: post #13

I wonder how good it is at defecting fake smiles and attitudes. Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. Reminds me the "Welcome to costco, I love you" scene from Idiocracy: https://youtu.be/ZIFCWpn4qQ4?si=nJpGjA33-sf5QE_Z

> Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. I've been on the receiving end of both numerous times and I'm not sure which I prefer if I'm honest. - Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. - I have a problem. I'm agnostic as long as you can help me. Having just thought about it - there's different levels of fake and the s…

> Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you.

What's even the point of a door greeter if nobody interacts with them?

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#43

Post by porkbeer »

sofixa wrote: post #42
irjustin wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. I've been on the receiving end of both numerous times and I'm not sure which I prefer if I'm honest. - Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. - I have a problem. I'm agnostic as long as you can help me. Having just thought about it - there's different levels of fake and the s…

> Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. What's even the point of a door greeter if nobody interacts with them?

Its a psychological thing. Cuta down on shoplifting, makes you more apt to buy something if you have to pass the same persone coming in and going out, etc. They would not hire them if it did not bolster the bottom line.

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#44

Post by rsynnott »

irjustin wrote: post #21
olalonde wrote: post #13

I wonder how good it is at defecting fake smiles and attitudes. Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. Reminds me the "Welcome to costco, I love you" scene from Idiocracy: https://youtu.be/ZIFCWpn4qQ4?si=nJpGjA33-sf5QE_Z

> Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. I've been on the receiving end of both numerous times and I'm not sure which I prefer if I'm honest. - Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. - I have a problem. I'm agnostic as long as you can help me. Having just thought about it - there's different levels of fake and the s…

> Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you.

Is that actually still a thing? I remember hearing of it being a thing in the US, but I would kind of assumed it would have died out as the US economy approached full employment and wages rose. Never actually seen it when I've visited the US, but then I was only in large cities with very high labour costs.

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#45

Post by rsynnott »

sofixa wrote: post #41
wouterjanl wrote: post #40

Article 5 (f) of the EU AI Act, fresh from the press (published two weeks ago), prohibits "the (...) use of AI systems to infer emotions of a natural person in the areas of workplace and education institutions, except where the use of the AI system is intended to be put in place or into the market for medical or safety reasons". [1] Penalties consist of fines up to EUR 35M or 7% of an undertaking's turnover, whicheve…

But I was told the EU was just overregulating AI and no innovation and etc... I have to say I'm impressed by how quickly the EU managed to hash out AI regulations. I've only skimmed it but there are multiple good things there, on top of the above, like bans on critical decisions being taken only by AI, the need to have humans in the loop, the ability to be able to explain AI decisions for important things, etc. It wi…

The EC will see these regulations as essentially a first draft; expect a new, likely stricter set in a few years, and probably on a regular cadence after that. We're currently on the Fifth AML Directive, for instance (the first was in 1990).

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#47

Post by rsynnott »

dymk wrote: post #20

I usually roll my eyes and move on when someone makes an inappropriate comparison to 1984. So this is actually quite a nice surprise that this is literally something that would be in 1984!

Quite a lot of AI bullshit is at least a little 1984-y; it's only a throwaway reference, but the pulp writing that's about the only thing that's legal to read in Airstrip One is written by machine!

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#48

Post by bitshiftfaced »

sofixa wrote: post #42
irjustin wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because I'd rather interact with non-smiling staff than someone who is obviously faking it for the camera. I've been on the receiving end of both numerous times and I'm not sure which I prefer if I'm honest. - Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. - I have a problem. I'm agnostic as long as you can help me. Having just thought about it - there's different levels of fake and the s…

> Door greeting. I prefer a fake smile. I'm not going to interact with you. What's even the point of a door greeter if nobody interacts with them?

The first thing you see when you enter a store is a friendly and representative member of your community. You get a quick hit of that local, hometown vibe to suppress any feelings that you're stepping into a faceless, corporate machine that's swallowing up your local economy and sending it mostly to Walton's descendants.

Oh yeah, also got to check those receipts for objects too large to put in a bag.

Re: Japan chain uses AI to gauge staff smiles, speech tones in QoS push

#49

Post by synicalx »

Whole thing is very creepy and weird, and no one involved will like or benefit from it. BUT. Can anyone explain what on earth "standardise its employees’ smiles" actually means? Are we talking quantity of teeth visible, mouth dilation, duration, accompanying sound etc?
Post reply on HN