Google

Google Assistant can fire a gun, seriously

by Milen Yanachkov / May 31, 2018, 4:20 AM

A new feature for Google Assistant is rolling out now that allows the virtual helper to fire guns at your command.

Alright, so it was a lame attempt at a joke, sheesh.

What it is, instead, is a weird, kind of scary, and perhaps worst of all -- really affordable -- hack that allows a Google Assistant device (be it a phone or a smart speaker) to fire a gun on command. Actually, the command used to set the contraption is motion is perhaps even more terrifying than the concept itself – "OK Google, activate gun," to which Assistant replies, "OK, turning on the gun" in its usual, calm, HAL-9000-esque voice.

Put together by Alexander Reben, the hack involves a cheapo CO2-powered pellet gun, an even cheaper TP-Link smart outlet, and a Google Home smart speaker. But don't worry, the creator of this hack says that Amazon Alexa can be just as good of a gunslinger as Google Assistant.

Speaking to Engadget, Reben said that "the discourse around such a(n) apparatus is more important than its physical presence." Which is true, seeing as how the Google Home speaker could have been substituted by a number of other input devices, even including a back massaging chair or an ice cream maker, in Reben's own words. The CO2 pellet gun could have probably also been substituted by something with a bit more of an... oomph.

source: Alexander Reben via Engadget

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19 Comments

1. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

This gives new meaning to the words gun control

posted on May 31, 2018, 4:42 AM 1

11. Nathan_ingx

Posts: 4769; Member since: Mar 07, 2012

I'm not really surprised or awestruck or something because it is a special rig that is designed to 'fire' the gun. Until and unless an AI can take control of a human and let the person fire a gun, i will remain unimpressed. Ya'na-i-mean?

posted on May 31, 2018, 6:56 AM 2

12. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

Not really impressed either, this is basically nothing more than an if-then statement. If you look at AutoVoice (Tasker plugin) you can program natural language into Google assistant that runs a Tasker command. And you could recreate this with not too much effort.

posted on May 31, 2018, 7:09 AM 0

16. sgodsell

Posts: 7035; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

This looks like someone purposely is trying to paint Google in a negative light here. When in reality Google never did this themselves. Yet who ever did this went out of their way to use a Gun to shoot at an Apple, then have Google home be the trigger. Why did they use a gun? Or why did they use an Apple of all things to shoot at? This is definitely a provocative video. It looks like it's subliminally trying to pump up Apple, while at the same time take a punch at Google.

posted on May 31, 2018, 11:50 AM 2

17. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

I don't think that was the purpose, to put Google in a negative light. You really have to be a moron to think Google doing something negative here.

posted on May 31, 2018, 1:12 PM 0

18. sgodsell

Do you know the meaning of the word subliminally? Why use Google Home to be the trigger to shoot an Apple of all things to shoot? Can you not see that? Well I shouldn't be surprised, especially looking at your name. So you are without a clue.

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:32 PM 1

19. Nathan_ingx

Are you serious? Have you not seen people using apple as a target for shooting? It's mostly been an apple on a person's head for daring stunts.

posted on Jun 01, 2018, 4:47 AM 0

2. MaryPoopins

Posts: 324; Member since: Jan 15, 2015

An interesting demo for sure, and I can't wait to see this get picked up and everyone to decry that we're all going to get shot to oblivion by AI robots from hell. But still, the non-clickbaity title should be "Google assistant can activate a servo". Could be a gun, or a garage door opener remote or a doorbell etc etc...

posted on May 31, 2018, 4:59 AM 1

3. GreenMan

Posts: 2697; Member since: Nov 09, 2015

The first step towards building a bloody Terminator Cyborg. All things have humble beginnings, eh? Sad! G'Day!

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:06 AM 1

4. BLUEBLASTER

Posts: 920; Member since: Feb 23, 2014

I think if we have more guns and let AI take control over them we can all live safely....... Can't wait to see the next mass shooting then the defence blames it on the AI pulled the trigger.

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:16 AM 0

5. Milen_Y

Posts: 112; Member since: Jun 09, 2016

It's all Doom's fault (the first one)!

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:23 AM 1

6. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

Guns don't kill people, Google kills people?

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:33 AM 0

7. RoboticEngi

Posts: 1251; Member since: Dec 03, 2014

This could be done with ANY assistent....You can use phones to detonate bombs too, and voice assistants...Im just amazed people are reacting to this, as its pretty simple to do.

posted on May 31, 2018, 5:43 AM 1

13. DFranch

Posts: 526; Member since: Apr 20, 2012

Google assistant is just turning on a WiFi enabled wall plug. I use the same thing to turn on the lights in my family room. If I named my lights gun, I could turn them on by saying alexa, turn on the gun.