Sam started this. The comparisons would have come up anyway, but it’s a lot harder to dismiss the claims from users when your CEO didn’t tweet “her” before the release. I don’t myself think the voice in the demos sounded exactly like her, just closer in seamlessness and attitude, which is a problem itself down the road for easily convinced users.
AI companions will be both great and dangerous for those with issues. Wow, it’s another AI safety path that apparently no company is bothering exploring.
I agree that’s it’s a “hate the game, not the player”. The issue is how much influence he could have to steer the market to favor his product vs. the competition. It’s happened so many times in history where the better product fails because they can’t play the game like the inferior company.
To quote “Pirates of Silicon Valley”:
Steve Jobs: We’re better than you are! We have better stuff.
Bill Gates: You don’t get it, Steve. That doesn’t matter!
So is it fair for the consumer for big companies to be able to influence the game itself and not just play within the same rules? I’d say no.