The Art of Deception

25 Jun 2005 · #micro

“Good evening! Thank you for calling Jet. This is Maya; how may I help you?”
“I need a ticket to Bangalore on the 18th, Ms. Maya.”
Maya: “May I know your good name, Sir?”
“I am Ajay Kumar, Maya.”
Maya: “Thank you, Mr. Ajay. Would you be travelling Business or Economy class, Sir?”
Ajay: “Business class, please.”
Maya: “Thank you. Please be on the line Sir while the system retrieves information.”
Ajay: “No problem. Say Maya, would you happen to be Maharashtrian?”
Maya: “Why, yes! You are quite perceptive, Sir!”
Ajay: “I can always pick out accents; especially the Marathi accent.”
Maya: “I am sure you can, Sir.”
Ajay: “Marathi girls are the sweetest sounding.”
Maya: “I can’t disagree, Sir.”
Ajay: “And they are also the prettiest looking; as I am sure you are too!”
Maya: “Ah! While this is truly flattering Sir, I am afraid that under the Robots and Robotic Personas Act of 2018, I am required to inform you that I am just a voice response system!”
Ajay: “Oh! Umm.. I hope this isn’t being recorded…”
Maya: “You wish, Sir!”