A British-accented AI doesn't know what a queen is, revealing it's just a collection of sounds.
Emily Rainbow Davis opens episode 493 of 'Songs for the Struggling Artist' by noting the podcast's 10-year anniversary. She introduces the topic: GPS, accents, AI, and related themes. The episode centers on reading a blog post titled 'Pronounce Queens,' which describes a British-accented GPS voice mispronouncing 'Queens' as 'Q-ens' on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Emily analyzes this error, pointing out that while a real British person would know what a queen is, the AI is merely a collection of sounds without cultural experiences like drinking tea or growing up in a monarchy. She references a Wired magazine article about people using AI for therapy, arguing that AI bots reflect user needs but lack background or genuine understanding. The post warns against imbuing AI with human context, as people naturally project personas onto voices. Emily recalls writing the post in December and later hearing the GPS repeat the mistake, leading her to hypothesize that the mispronunciation stems from road signs abbreviating 'Queens' by removing vowels. She notes the GPS also mispronounces 'Brooklyn,' making navigation confusing. For the song segment, Emily chooses Billy Bragg's 'A New England,' appreciating its British authenticity compared to the GPS accent. She reflects on the song's meaning and contradictions, such as its title referring to both a U.S. region and a new England. The episode closes with Emily discussing the podcast's financials, mentioning it's a shoestring operation with costs outweighing income, and encouraging listener support through Patreon, Ko-fi, PayPal, or Substack. She expresses gratitude for listeners' attention over the decade before performing the song on acoustic guitar.
