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‘Alexa, change the subject’: Amazon programs the assistant to dampen heated family debates

By 12/23/2019 | updated 6 years ago

Amazon has added a new command to its virtual assistant Alexa in hopes that it can help end family feuds over the holidays before they get out of hand.

Users can now say, “Alexa, change the subject,” which will prompt the software to ask various innocuous questions to distract heated friends and family from other arguments. For example, the software might say, “Pineapple on pizza was the greatest culinary development of the 20th century. Discuss.” Or, the virtual assistant could ask, “Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?”

The company also allows users to schedule Alexa to ask questions at a certain time. Data has shown arguments are most likely to happen on Christmas Day at 6:30 p.m., according to Amazon.

While some people tend to dread family debates — particularly political ones — during the holidays, a recent survey found that only 3% of Americans argued about politics over Thanksgiving this year. Additionally, less than a quarter of Americans attended a Thanksgiving dinner during which members disagreed over support for or against President Trump.

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By John Gage Washington Examiner

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