A man in Monrovia, California has developed a subscription service using ChatGPT bots to combat telemarketers. The service aims to waste the time of scammers and cost them money. For a fee, users can utilize these bots to keep telemarketers on the line for as long as possible. The system provides different bot personalities, such as an elderly curmudgeon or a stay-at-home mom, to engage with the scammers. Although the bots may break the illusion of being human with repetitive and off-topic phrases, they can successfully keep scammers engaged for up to 15 minutes. This service is not the first of its kind, as another chatbot named Lenny has been combating robocallers since 2008. However, Lenny is not as effective due to its inability to recognize when a key press is needed to reach a human. The Jolly Roger bot, on the other hand, has the capability to prevent the dialer from hanging up by pushing the most common pass-through keys.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT bot subscription service annoys telemarketers | From telemarketers wasting people’s time to wasting telemarketers’ time | More advanced AI bots with improved conversational abilities | Frustration with telemarketing and desire for revenge |
| Subscription fee and easy set-up for Jolly Roger Telephone Company | From manual telemarketer screening to automated bot service | More widespread use of bot services to combat telemarketers | Desire for convenience and effectiveness in dealing with telemarketers |
| Various bot personalities available to engage telemarketers | From generic bot responses to more realistic and diverse interactions | Increased customization and personalization of bot interactions | Desire for entertainment and satisfaction in outwitting telemarketers |
| Lenny chatbot not as effective due to lack of human response recognition | From limited bot capabilities to advanced bot capabilities | AI bots that can recognize and respond to various prompts | Need for bots to adapt to changing telemarketing tactics |