This morning an article titled “shoppers rush to buy lifelike AI robot dog” article flashed up on the news portal. The dog looked just like a real life puppy in its movements and appearance. It was only £34 so I thought why not google and maybe get someone a Christmas present. Luckily this is what I found in my search :
I wouldn’t have expected much for the 21 dollars Annie, and I noticed he slipped in an advert for a security package to prevent future scams… 
You don’t think that the scam buster was actually scamming us?
I’m not sure about the advert and I did wonder that myself, but he has an anti-scammer you tube channel. I really just wanted to highlight the spectre of AI generated online scams.
Goodness … he’s posted other videos too.
I’m hooked, Currently watching one about property scams.
I shall never ever trust anything or anyone online.
Are you real AnnieS? Is OldGreyFox?
I need one of those puppies to hug.
I had wondered about these ads too
I have a foolproof method of avoiding the scammers…
I walk into a shop, I pick up the item I want to buy and thoroughly examine it.
If it’s supposed to work, I insist that I see it working.
If it’s clothing or shoes, I try them on and feel the texture and quality.
Once I’m satisfied, I take some folding stuff out of my wallet and pass it to the assistant.
Business concluded…
We just have to work out who was here on this site (and still alive) pre AI, and have faith in them 
And that’s the way to do it Foxy!
The downside is that we seem to be rapidly running out of shops!
Unless you want to buy an overpriced coffee,or take up vaping, or get your eyebrows woven, or have your nails done…
Or get your hair cut by an authentic Turkish Barber (who was born in Wythenshawe)
With each passing generation shopping as we know it will be consigned to history Chilli.
As will surviving in the world without a smartphone or the internet.
I still try and support local shops and businesses, and the local butchers sells better meat than Tesco.
I support the local curry shops, don’t know why, sometimes meat and two veg is preferable.
I’ve seen a lot of those of Ads for those dogs in the last month or two - the claims of how “lifelike” they are all look dodgy and scammer-like to me and I’ve never bothered to click on any of the Ads.
It was interesting to see my gut reaction about them was right!
Absolutely!
There’s a certain irony in this. The web can be such a positive thing, putting us in touch with others globally.
And yet how many times do you see people walking around wearing headphones/buds gormlessly staring into their phones completely oblivious to what’s going on immediately around them?
If you add up all the hours spent on social media or the Internet in general…I wonder what all the people would have done with their time if there hadn’t been a world wide web…?
