| You are awakened by an intelligent alarm clock that gives a brief summary of your day including a synopsis of your business appointments and domestic chores. It then asks whether you want to hear a personalized news digest or just listen to NPR. On your way to work, your car informs you that there's an accident near Exit 4 on the freeway and gives you an alternate route that is clear of traffic. It also reminds you that you need a tune-up and can schedule one for you Monday at four o'clock, if you like. Through voice-activated response, you don't even need to release your hands from the steering wheel to make the appointment. When you arrive at work, your personal assistant agent notifies you about an urgent e-mail from your boss that arrived early this morning concerning a proposal for a new project that is supposed to start next week. It then notifies you that it has not only responded to your boss with budget and status information extracted from your spreadsheets, it has also set up a conference call tomorrow at noon between you, your boss, and three qualified contractors who are available to help with the project. You assign it the task of downloading statistics that will help fill out your proposal. By ten, you are notified that the information has been downloaded, compiled, and added to your spreadsheet. When you arrive home that evening, there is a delivery of groceries waiting for youordered, scheduled, and paid for by your personal agent. You happily note that this time it ordered the fat-free sour cream, now that it knows you are on a diet. |
