Siri and Alexa vs. HAL 9000 and Watson. The voices of artificial intelligence face off about sexism and gender roles. Or: sexA.I.sm.

Science fiction has shaped the aesthetics and sounds of tech today. So, here’s a question: what if Apple’s Siri talked to 2001: A Space Odyssey’s HAL 9000? The subject: why Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have feminine voices and why HAL – not to mention, IBM’s Watson – talk like guys.

http://www.popsci.com

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Producer/Video By – Tom McNamara

Footage –

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Warner bros.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Marvel
Her (2014), Warner Bros
IBM
Star Trek: Next Generation, CBS Corp.