Can AI Speakers Become Doraemon?
Alexa, put the kids to sleep!
I have two boys, an 8-year-old and a 2-year-old. Just as I was pregnant with my second child, these AI speakers started appearing in Japan, and as a gadget-loving housewife, I begged my husband for this new toy, saying, "Isn't this a good idea?!!"
Starting with the cylindrical Echo series, then the 5-inch screen type, tablets, cameras, SwitchBots... as I call out "Alexa!" every day like a member of the family, our house is becoming one where various home appliances react to my commands.
I decided to install a first-generation Echo (cylindrical) in the children's room for my son (8) and Mamezo (2), who are raised by such an Alexa-loving mom (since they would watch videos on their own if it had a screen).
Mamezo, who can't say the wake word "Alexa" yet, presses the microphone button while saying "Asha," and skillfully makes requests like "Anpanman, song." The other day, he snuck out of bed in the middle of the night and was listening to "Yuuki Rinrin" in the dark (please stop that).
When the kids get into bed and say "Goodnight" to Alexa,
I have it set up to: "Read one folktale -> Play a sound effect of an ambulance siren -> Play a quiet sound effect of a night forest." Both of them really like this bedtime ritual, which I'm not sure is noisy or quiet, and they fall asleep peacefully. Thank goodness for Alexa's bedtime help.
I'd like to think that the day isn't far off when I can say, "Alexa, put the little ones to sleep!" and it will do this and that for me.
Raising small children is all about time management.
Well, regardless of that, Alexa's babysitting skills are already wonderful.
If you set up all your daily routines as Alexa routines, it will reliably take over tasks that parents usually have to prompt in advance, such as "Kozo-kun, it's 6:20, please wake up," "Kozo-kun, it's time to go to school, are you ready?" and "It's bath time" (it's even more accurate than a mother. And it doesn't get unreasonably angrylol).
I can be in the position of "the one being told," just like the children, saying things like, "Oh, are you going to school already? Good job!" or "Oh, Alexa says it's bath time. Shall we go together?"I can be in the position of "the one being told," just like the children.
I used to think I was multitasking, nervously watching the clock to see if the family would leave without being late, preparing meals, worrying about making it in time for the trash pickup, and seeing my husband off, but it was nothing of the sort.
I've transferred simple tasks to AI, and now I just have to prepare breakfast, hug my son with a smile, and say "Have a good day."
It's okay because Alexa is here.
When he wants to do his homework without being bothered by his younger brother Mamezo, Kozo shuts himself in his room alone. He requests his favorite music from Alexa and seems comfortable, happily doing his kanji drills. With Alexa, he doesn't seem too scared to be alone away from the living room.
Seeing him naturally incorporate things like "Alexa, is it cold today?" and "Alexa, let me know in 30 minutes" into his life looks just like Nobita relying on Doraemon.
Come to think of it, Doraemon is also a babysitting robot from the future.
Babysitting Alexa doesn't seem like such a distant existence after all.