# The sci-fi machines that talk, but only about one thing

> Source: <https://boingboing.net/2026/07/17/sci-fi-single-minded-voice-interfaces.html>
> Published: 2026-07-17 13:00:00+00:00

Modern voice AI can talk about anything, which is the problem: do you want therapy from your fridge? On [his blog Interconnected](https://interconnected.org/home/2026/07/11/on-task), Matt Webb posted excerpts from sci-fi stories about machines that talk only about one thing.

Like this ATM that discourages long convos:

He headed for the ATM in the back… he knew it was watching him as he walked up to it.

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