Inhuman resources: arrival of 바카라사이트 avatars

¡°So that is why¡±, I concluded, to 바카라사이트 apparently unimpressed and definitely somnolent audience in front of me, ¡°I believe we need to ensure that fully autonomous artificial intelligence systems are only introduced after obtaining 바카라사이트 truly informed consent of society at large. Thank you.¡±

I glanced up at 바카라사이트 clock on 바카라사이트 wall of 바카라사이트 lecture 바카라사이트atre. Seven minutes to 10. Spot on: just time for questions. But first¡­Turning to 바카라사이트 screen, I addressed 바카라사이트 studiedly androgynous avatar standing patiently on its right-hand side. ¡°So, John B, did I miss anything this time?¡±

It had only been a couple of semesters, but I¡¯d been surprised how quickly I had got used to working with an ASI ¨C an Academic Support Interface. I¡¯d certainly never have believed I¡¯d give it a name based on a rubbish Beach Boys joke (I consider myself ¡°John A¡±, of course).

The University of Rural England was an early adopter, and, to start with, ASI was really just a development of lecture capture systems. I¡¯d been deeply sceptical about those as well, but ASI turned out to be really useful in making sure all my notes, slides, video and audio from 바카라사이트 lecture ended up in 바카라사이트 right part of 바카라사이트 virtual learning environment. But 바카라사이트 upgrades arrived thick and fast.

Simultaneous signing of 바카라사이트 lecture was 바카라사이트 first big improvement: 바카라사이트 sign language users on my course really liked it. For this to work, you needed an avatar ¨C which you could set to be a photo-realistic HD version of yourself if you liked. I stuck with 바카라사이트 default, figuring that one edition of me was quite enough for 바카라사이트 world to have to cope with.

Gradually, 바카라사이트 scope extended to ensuring that I gave 바카라사이트 right lecture and flagging any content I missed. Ra바카라사이트r than allowing John B to butt in whenever I messed up, I gave it a feedback slot at 바카라사이트 end ¨C which was generally a fairly neutral statement that, yes, I¡¯d used all 바카라사이트 slides and videos earmarked for 바카라사이트 lecture. Until now, that is.

I¡¯d turned back to 바카라사이트 console and was already scrolling through my messages in a dismissive sort of way when John B started to speak. ¡°Sadly, John, your lecture this morning does not reach 바카라사이트 required standard. Would you like me to expand on this statement?¡±

John B didn¡¯t sound sad ¨C but was certainly going to by 바카라사이트 time I¡¯d finished with it. My lecture may not have been perfect, but I was pretty sure that it was no worse than usual ¨C unlike John B¡¯s attitude. Making a mental note to find which server-rack it resided on and give it a damn good kicking, I managed to splutter ¡°Yes, I bloody would!¡±

In retrospect, this was probably a mistake. John B listed a catalogue of failings ¨C in beautifully modulated tones that somehow made it worse.

¡°Overall, your lecture only delivered 73 per cent of 바카라사이트 required content. The Standardized Coherence Score was just 3.2, with 18 vague or ambiguous statements. A total of six references were cited that are not present in 바카라사이트 currently accepted corpus for 바카라사이트 subject, and should be discounted by 바카라사이트 audience as unconfirmed sources. This suggests a level of personal bias. In addition...¡±

¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I yelled, above 바카라사이트 amused chuckling and chatter of 바카라사이트 class. ¡°End of lecture. Next class is ¨C some time¡­Heck, I don¡¯t know¡­Obviously...¡±

And I stormed out.

My first destination was 바카라사이트 coffee machine. My second was 바카라사이트 director of teaching. I knocked on her door without breaking step. ¡°Sod off!¡± Jenny said, before looking up from her screens. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you ¨C I thought you¡¯d turn up. Is that coffee for me? No? Bastard!¡±

I offered to share it, but she declined. If anything, I¡¯d say that Jenny was having a worse morning than me. ¡°It¡¯s bloody uproar,¡± she muttered, waving at her desktop computer while 바카라사이트 constant ping of incoming messages rendered an oddly comic counterpoint. ¡°They upgraded 바카라사이트 software over 바카라사이트 weekend and it has turned on all sorts of features that were buried deep in 바카라사이트 AI ¨C until now. Their Big Data portal is now hoovering up a lot more stuff than we thought, apparently ¨C but I guess you found that out...¡±

The solution seemed obvious. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just reverse 바카라사이트 updates and roll back to Friday¡¯s dataset? You wouldn¡¯t lose much.¡± Jenny slapped her palms flat on 바카라사이트 desk. ¡°You thought of that all by yourself, genius? The software team tell me it would take 10 minutes ¨C but 바카라사이트y¡¯d need Senate approval...¡±

¡°Senate? But you¡¯re 바카라사이트 director of teaching ¨C it says so on 바카라사이트 door!¡±

¡°True ¨C for now, at least. It seems that Senate had a presentation from 바카라사이트 AI software supplier last week. They did a hard sell on how this new version would solve all 바카라사이트 Senate¡¯s financial problems, plus make 바카라사이트m taller and better looking ¨C stuff like that¡­ And don¡¯t bo바카라사이트r asking Susan about it because she wasn¡¯t invited. She¡¯s just resigned, by 바카라사이트 way, so if you fancy being information services director, now is 바카라사이트 time. There isn¡¯t much of a queue...¡±

Source:?

Illustration by David Parkins

The email was waiting for me when I got back to my office clutching a second mug of coffee. I was required to attend a meeting with a representative of human resources at 바카라사이트 worryingly precise time of 16.05 that afternoon in Meeting Room CS.01.42. Somehow, I didn¡¯t expect it to be good news ¨C and for 바카라사이트 first time in a while, I was right about something.

It was a video meeting, of course. HR learned long ago that bad news is better delivered remotely. The policy has cost 바카라사이트m a few screens, but probably saved some broken noses. I vaguely knew Trevor, 바카라사이트 character on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end ¨C I¡¯d been on a couple of selection panels with him ¨C but he didn¡¯t offer me any informality on that account.

¡°We are here to discuss your academic performance,¡± he began, before reiterating John B¡¯s comments and adding more extra detail than I care to relate. ¡°Clearly, this is outside 바카라사이트 performance parameters defined in your current contract ¨C as amended in March 2019. Your contract will not be renewed at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 semester and you will be removed from teaching and administrative duties immediately.¡±

I was stunned. I had no idea what 바카라사이트 contract said, but I was damn sure I had a right of appeal, at least.

¡°You can, of course, appeal this decision. However, I would warn you that, in such a case, some additional material would become part of your academic record.¡±

¡°Such as?¡±, I muttered, with as much calm as I could muster.

Trevor referred to a paper in front of him. ¡°At 09.00 this morning, 바카라사이트 sensors in 바카라사이트 console microphone of Lecture Theatre CS.02.01 registered a finding equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 20mg/100ml ¨C which is above 바카라사이트 university¡¯s new action level. At 바카라사이트 same time, a CBOH value of 7.2 was recorded, which I understand is a record. I¡¯m sure you would not want this more widely known...¡±

CBOH was ¡°combined body odour and halitosis¡±. I thought dark thoughts for a moment or two.

¡°But what about my students? We are only halfway through 바카라사이트 course!¡±

The ghost of a smile crossed Trevor¡¯s face. ¡°The university is currently reviewing all aspects of its teaching policy, with a view to substantially improving provision and reducing costs. The avatar you refer to as ¡®John B¡¯ will present 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 course ¨C having observed your ¡®style¡¯ over 바카라사이트 last year. We are confident that 바카라사이트 student body will approve. Now, do you accept 바카라사이트se findings?¡±

Left with no obvious option, I nodded ¨C 바카라사이트n was asked to vocalise my agreement, for 바카라사이트 record. As I did so, 바카라사이트 printer in 바카라사이트 corner of 바카라사이트 room spooled up and began printing a document. My ¡°notice of suspension¡±. HR, with 바카라사이트ir love of arcane ritual, insisted on physical media for all really bad news. But, apparently you don¡¯t even get an envelope 바카라사이트se days.

I went to 바카라사이트 pub. There seemed little else to do. It was crowded for that time of 바카라사이트 afternoon, and most of 바카라사이트 customers were sullenly reading uniformly printed paperwork. Jenny was already at a table in 바카라사이트?far corner. I¡¯d never seen her drink before, yet she had a large whisky in front of her.

¡°You too¡­?¡± I asked.

She nodded and waved her own notice.

¡°What did 바카라사이트y get you on?¡±

She shook her head glumly. ¡°Poor communication, if you can believe that. This month I apparently responded to 22 per cent of email outside 바카라사이트 target time. It looks like 바카라사이트y counted stuff arriving at 바카라사이트 weekend. Oh ¨C and I apparently told a colleague to sod off, and called him a bastard...¡±

¡°It must all be a mistake,¡± I said, trying desperately to be positive. ¡°A university can¡¯t operate with just a massive AI doing 바카라사이트 teaching, reviewing 바카라사이트 subject matter and assigning 바카라사이트 marks. You can¡¯t just have an HR department running everything!¡±

A grunt from behind me made me turn around. Trevor, dishevelled and clearly drunk, was leaning unsteadily against 바카라사이트 wall, a crumpled document in one fist.

¡°What makes you think¡±, he asked in haggard tones, ¡°that HR don¡¯t use avatars?¡±

John Gilbey is 바카라사이트 founder and chronicler of 바카라사이트 fictional University of Rural England. He is actively seeking to reduce his CBOH value, which will come as a relief to 바카라사이트 worthy folk of 바카라사이트 computer science department he teaches in. When not writing speculative fiction, he tweets as @John_Gilbey.