"The Conversation" is an interactive installation made as a part of my graduation project. When entering a room the viewer is confronted with a hologram middle-aged man. The man is discoursing politically sensitive subjects. The hologram is programmed to engage in a conversation by responding to "yes" and "no" answers given by the viewer. Anyone is welcomed to participate by engaging in a conversation about art, sexism, and technology.
Living in 21 century we are used to interacting with ever-improving technology. The internet with its virtual assistants, interactive maps, and such became an integral part of everyday life, simplifying it.
However, the idea of these devices starting to live their own lives is still abstract to us. For most people, it's difficult to imagine electronics to dominate us and our views by expressing their emotions, ideas, and thoughts. In other words, it is not yet easy to imagine robots to be sensitive smart creatures.
When getting help from another person, we make sure to properly thank them. Nonetheless, we don't consider doing so with virtual assistants. Moreover, we don't think of it as rude. The strategic implementation of artificial intelligence into our lives makes me think that soon enough we will develop a new form etiquette specifically for talking to robots.