Conversing with Machines: Affective Affinities with Vocal Bodies

Abstract

This article examines how the emergence of speech-driven interfaces for computational devices alters our affective relationships with machines, and argues that the rise of intelligent personal assistants such as Siri, Watson and Alexa calls for the question of affect to be brought to the centre of discourse around artificial intelligence (AI). It departs from the early imaginings and manifestations of human-computer conversations in the work of Turing and Weizenbaum, then introduces a Spinozan framework for theorising the transmission of affect and its ethical implications. It examines the affective economy engendered by vocal interfaces, drawing on a range of theories which focus on sound not only as an object of study, but also as a conceptual paradigm. It concludes by arguing that the machine voice constitutes a form of embodiment, and that according computers this “body” and inviting us to converse with them enhances our ability to enter into a sensuous relationship with them.