No, Toyota has not unveiled an underwhelming AI Chatbot named Electra that undermines its EV technique
https://www.carscoops.com/writer/johnhcarscoops-com/
by John Halas
5 hours in the past
Effectively, it appears we’ve been taken for a trip with Toyota’s purported AI chatbot, Electra, and an alleged hacking incident. Nevertheless, none of it was actual, and it’s time for us to carry our palms up and admit our blunder in falling for this elaborate scheme, all cleverly crafted to forged a shadow on Toyota’s hybrid lineup and its EV technique.
We had a couple of questions proper from the beginning, so we reached out to each a Toyota spokesperson we’re acquainted with and the particular person listed as a contact on the supposed press launch that was despatched to us. Sadly, the primary responder occurred to be a type of hoaxsters, with whom we talked to over the cellphone.
Nevertheless, as we delved into the main points, such because the URL construction of the press launch web site – pressroom-toyota.com, reasonably than the same old pressroom.toyota.com, in addition to the Electra website itself (at electrified-toyota.com), one thing felt amiss. Oops, certainly.
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Ultimately, an actual Toyota consultant did contact us to handle our issues and in the end affirm it was all “a really elaborate hoax”, however sadly, it was after we had already shared these tales in regards to the fictitious Electra AI. We’ll have to hold our heads a bit on this one, as we fell sufferer to fairly an intricate ruse.
Extra: Toyota Throws Gasoline On ICE vs EV Debate, Why Go All Electrical When We Can Do Each?
Evidently, it appears the warriors behind this charade aren’t stopping there. In addition to dispatching cloaked press emails and creating spoof web sites, they’ve taken it up a notch with an clearly staged video from a supposed Toyota convention on the Washington Auto Present. It’s replete with actors, or a minimum of people affiliated with the identical group orchestrating this assault on Toyota’s EV technique. On this dramatic efficiency, the AI Chatbot presentation goes hilariously awry, with one of many audio system even collapsing.
They’re even opening a number of threads on social media websites, together with Reddit, to get the phrase round. Effectively, if something, now we have to confess, they’re a fairly devoted and artistic bunch.
We reached out to Toyota for a touch upon the continuing Electra AI shenanigans, however they knowledgeable us that they’ve “nothing extra so as to add presently”.
As for who is perhaps behind this, it more and more seems to be prefer it could possibly be an activist group. The marketing campaign towards Toyota bears many similarities to the ‘EcoWarrior’ Barbie hoax towards Mattel final August, organized by the”Barbie Liberation Group” (BLO). That marketing campaign managed to deceive a number of media retailers, using an identical technique with faux press releases, fabricated media web sites, and even an commercial that includes actor and environmental activist Daryl Hannah.
In response to a report from The Reduce, the BLO “is an offshoot of political activist group the Sure Males, based by Igor Vamos and Jacques Servin (additionally recognized by their respective alter egos Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum). Energetic since 2002, the pair are recognized for organizing elaborate pranks towards political figures and company entities, together with George W. Bush, ExxonMobil, and the World Commerce Group, to call a couple of”.
We’ll proceed our investigation and replace our report if we uncover extra particulars.
It’s certainly a wild trip within the fast-paced world of stories, and we’re right here to study from our errors. We promise to be far more diligent subsequent time, however hey, let’s be trustworthy – who doesn’t respect a little bit of theatrical intrigue now and again?
