A family of Chinese tourists left a hotel in the historic center of Istanbul. A hotel employee greeted them warmly at the reception and asked if they would like to book a tour or hire a personal guide. No, we don’t need one.
Outside, the eldest son (probably a student at a Chinese university) took out his smart glasses, connected them via Bluetooth to his smartphone, and scanned the area in front of the hotel.
– Where do you suggest we go?
– I suggest turning left along Küçük Hagia Sophia Street. If you walk about 300 meters, you’ll come to the Blue Mosque.
– Look, on the left. You see a building with a large dome and minarets. That’s the Blue Mosque. It’s one of Istanbul’s landmarks.
– Tell us about it. What’s famous about it?
– The Blue Mosque, or Sultanahmet Mosque, is the most important mosque in Istanbul and one of the city’s symbols. It’s an outstanding example of Islamic and world architecture.
– “I see. Where are we going next?”
– “I’ll take you to the Hagia Sophia now. It’s a famous monument of Byzantine architecture, a symbol of the Byzantine Golden Age. There, you can see it now.”
– “We’d also like to take a ferry ride on the Bosphorus.”
– “I’ll take you to the pier and show you where you can buy an Istanbulkart. You can use it to pay for the ferry.”
“Near a small café, a man standing at the entrance said something to the tourists. Probably in Turkish.”
“Come in! We have the most delicious coffee in Istanbul,” the virtual assistant translated from Turkish to Chinese.
The tourist pointed his smart glasses at the café entrance.
“We don’t have a recommendation for your café, sorry.”
“The café owner said something in Turkish, but the virtual translator couldn’t translate it.
“He probably didn’t pay for the advertising, which is why he’s not recommended,” the older family member suggested.
As they approached the pier, two people were captured on camera by the virtual glasses. The virtual assistant, using its artificial intelligence, instantly identified them and issued a warning: beware, they could be pickpockets. Don’t let them come closer than arm’s length.
A stranger approached the tourists with a welcoming smile and his arms outstretched for a hug, but the head of the family stepped forward and said in Chinese, “Stop, don’t come any closer.”
It’s unclear how or into what language (clearly not Turkish) the virtual assistant translated his words, but the stranger’s smile vanished and he turned back.
When did this happen?
Tomorrow. This is a fictional story about the near future. A future when artificial intelligence and high-speed 5G internet will change our lives. When all the world’s information will be available to us at our whim. Our lives could change dramatically, and very soon.
Science fiction? No. Many cities are already covered by 5G internet, and even bloggers can’t keep up with AI developments.
The travel agency representative was bored at the hotel. No bookings. AI has made the tour guide profession obsolete. There are still jobs, but only in places without cell phone service or internet. Somewhere in the remote corners of the planet.
He needs to retrain for another profession. Maybe work as a pizza delivery boy?