Re:Google Duplex: An AI System for Accomplishing Real World ...
by derefr on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @04:20PM
(#17024598)
On the other hand, the credit card system's backcompat does mean that you can still accept credit cards when the power's out. You just write down the number (or use an imprint machine) and let the customer go. And the semantics of credit mean that you can still make that charge even if an online transaction would have resulted in a decline—offline transactions are never declined, they just cause overdrafts.
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Re:Google Duplex: An AI System for Accomplishing Real World ...
by zbentley on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @10:49PM
(#17027104)
I wonder if that resilience is worth the immense amount of infrastructure and engineering that is spent on maintenance of the technical debt. Does that maintenance drive up processing fees? I suspect it does, but not in any amount sufficient to explain the size of those fees.
Re:Google Duplex: An AI System for Accomplishing Real World ...
by s73v3r_ on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @09:32PM
(#17026812)
Yeah, but around here, most places just say the system is down and require cash.
Re:Google Duplex: An AI System for Accomplishing Real World ...
by danpalmer on Wednesday May 09, 2018 @08:46AM
(#17029351)
True! Although I think that's more of a byproduct, rather than something designed into the system at the moment, and I suspect we could do better with designing it. For example, I doubt many shops have those imprint machines any more.
I also think the tech debt is holding us back a long way. For example, why can't I see itemised receipts in my card statement? Paper receipts are on their way out, email receipts aren't linked to anything or structured data, but being able to see that I've spent $120 on shipping with Amazon in the last 12 months, so a Prime subscription would make sense, would be a great sort of financial tool to have. That isn't possible in the card network at the moment.