Hendrick’s Gin has taken a bold step in exploring the advancements of Artificial Intelligence technologies. The liquor brand has debuted Elliot who, from the outside, may appear to be a ChatGPT AI chatbot designed to generate conversation with people asking questions. But upon further examination, it is made apparent Elliot is the complete opposite of your traditional AI bot. Rather than being a creation of algorithms and machine learning, Elliot is a human, armed with limited knowledge and a sense of humour to help him interact with his audience.
Chat G&T, the activation created by Hendrick’s Gin, spoofs OpenAI’s ChatGPT project. By launching a similar program, the gin brand highlighted their desire to give humanity an alternative to the growing number of AI chatbot companies popping up. The artificial spokesperson reveals a charm rarely seen in robotics-based chatter, as he provides users with witty dialogue and comical responses to inquiries.
The launch of this fictional character Ellie is a humorous commentary to the overly boastful attitude of many IT startups today. They tend to advertise their AI chatbots as powerful machines with exceptional capabilities. This does not always reflect reality, which makes the role of Elliot that much more necessary. He is a refreshing nod to our humanness and without hesitation, readily acknowledges when he does not know the answer.
William Grant & Sons, parent company of Hendrick’s Gin, aims to bring to life the values of human connection and unpredictability that machines cannot bring. Describing their gimmick as “ultra-sophisticated”, they seek to remind us that some of the best moments of our lives are derived from the messiness of human interactions.
The idea of Chat G&T is rooted in similar projects Hendrick’s Gin have engaged in. Last year, they created Horatio, a voice-activated smart speaker that mocked interconnected technology. The project further emphasizes the need to see past the sophisticated statements related to AI technology, highlighting the importance of the real connection among human beings.
At the end of the day, the efforts of Hendrick’s Gin bring to surface the importance of hosting AI tech side-by-side with human-to-human relations. It’s merely a reminder that, despite all the futuristic technology out today, nothing will ever be as genuine and authentic as the person you can connect with.
