Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

How buying a washing machine became an AI comedy: Why the AI customer service revolution is a failure

“We are repeatedly told that artificial intelligence will provide faster, more personalized and more efficient service, Stanford scholar Robert M. Kaplan writes after a series of chatbot misadventures. “Yet consumer frustration with AI interfaces has become commonplace, and many problems remain unresolved. “

Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

Are you better off than you were seven weeks ago?

UCLA distinguished professor Robert M. Kaplan has a simple question for Santa Cruz County. Echoing Ronald Reagan’s famous 1980 exchange with then-President Jimmy Carter, he wants to know if you are better off today than when Trump took office. For him, the answer is no. He points to the economy, U.S. global standing, airline safety and consumer confidence as proof.

Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

Let’s take a break from pledge break: An open letter to KQED

Robert M. Kaplan loves public television and radio, but hates pledge drives, particularly unnecessary ones, like the one KQED, his beloved station, launched recently. If you do the math, the longtime faculty and health sciences administrator insists, some stations don’t need the pledge money as much as they let on and they should stop shaming patrons for watching. “With revenues exceeding expenses by about $25 million, should we feel guilty about watching ‘Masterpiece Theatre’ without coughing up extra cash?” he asks.

Verify your email

We'll send a verification code to .

Sign up for newsletters

Get the best of Lookout Santa Cruz directly in your email inbox.

Sending to:

Gift this article