Google released Instant yesterday, causing a fluttering of hearts among SEO experts and the philosophically-inclined who are asking what it means.
Google also released Scribe, which attracted less attention.
Scribe uses predictive text to suggest what your next word or phrase ought to be.
mbattles has identified that it tends to go into a loop quite quickly, which rather reflects what science fiction predicted would be the behaviour of any robot.
“Domin: (laughing) That’s enough now, Sulla, that’s enough. Show us how well you speak French.
Helena: You speak French?
Sulla: I speak four languages. I can write ‘Dear Sir! Monsieur! Geehrter Herr! Ctný pane!’
Helena: (jumping up) This is all humbug! You’re all charlatans! Sulla’s not a robot, she’s a living girl just like I am. Sulla, you should be ashamed of yourself – why are you playacting like this?
Sulla: I am a robot.
[...]
Helena: Don’t worry, Sulla, I won’t let them take you. Do they always treat you like this? You shouldn’t put up with it, do you hear, you shouldn’t put up with it.
Sulla: I am a robot.”
And what does Scribe mean?
It may mean faster typing of documents. Some commentators suggest it will help them finish term papers more quickly. Writers for content farms such as Associated Content may use it to produce keyword-dense articles in no time at all.
It doesn’t point to the elimination of humans in producing text.
If markets are conversations, as the Cluetrain Manifesto said many years ago, it makes sense for businesses to think seriously about talking with and listening to consumers.