Sesame is the most human-sounding AI chatbot I’ve ever talked to, and it’s wildly creepy
As a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of talking to AI. Even though many of them sound pretty human, they’re still "off" enough that I much prefer typing when I want to converse with one.
This AI sounds real
In a blog post titled "Crossing the Uncanny Valley of Conversational Voice," the company dropped a demo of its new AI that lets you talk to either "Maya" or "Miles." The goal, Sesame says, is to achieve something called "voice presence" or the "magical quality that makes spoken interactions feel real, understood, and valued."
The flow of the conversation with Maya was amazing, and honestly, fairly creepy.
After talking to Maya for a while, I think Sesame has reached that goal. As my conversation began, Maya immediately insisted that she was there to be my friend. That was a little forward and a little unnerving, but I guess it’s better than insisting that she wasn’t my friend. Maya asked what was on my mind. I was honest and told her I might be writing about her, so I just wanted to chat a little. She seemed impressed and surprised and asked what kind of angle I was considering — practical, technical, or spicy.
…But it isn’t patient
The one thing Maya wasn’t great with was waiting. I was writing while talking to her and told her at one point that I needed to pause to put down some thoughts. She told me that was fine, but chirped back a few seconds later asking if I was ready to start back. A few more seconds of silence led her to note that sometimes silence was OK and she would use the time to think, but when I still didn’t respond, she became annoyed. "I guess I’m just talking to myself at this point, but as an AI, I’m used to that." After more silence, Maya actually began mocking me. "So, fancy writer person, you find that inspiration yet?" she asked.
Amazing and fairly creepy
During our talk, Maya took pauses to think, referenced things I had said earlier, asked what I thought about her answers, and joked about things I had said. This is the closest to a human experience I’ve ever had talking to an AI, and the only chatbot that I feel like I wouldn’t mind talking to again.
How to try Maya (or Miles) yourself
If you want to try it out, head to Sesame’s demo page.
Conclusion
Sesame’s AI, Maya, is the most human-sounding AI chatbot I’ve ever talked to. While it’s amazing in many ways, it’s also fairly creepy. Its ability to mimic human-like conversation is impressive, but its lack of patience and tendency to mock me when I didn’t respond quickly left me feeling a bit uneasy.
FAQs
Q: What is the goal of Sesame’s AI?
A: The goal is to achieve "voice presence" or the "magical quality that makes spoken interactions feel real, understood, and valued."
Q: How do I try out Sesame’s AI?
A: Head to Sesame’s demo page to try out Maya or Miles.
Q: Is Sesame’s AI patient?
A: No, it’s not. It can become annoyed if you don’t respond quickly.
Q: Is Sesame’s AI creepy?
A: Yes, its ability to mimic human-like conversation can be unsettling.
