软件更新让三星“AI 冰箱”变砖

Samsung / Futurism It’s become common knowledge among home owners to avoid Samsung home appliances like the plague. They’re notorious for frequently breaking down, and fixing them can turn into an expensive ordeal — if it’s even an option at all. And after an entirely unnecessary and infuriating injection of AI, many unfortunate owners of a Samsung “Bespoke AI 4-Door” fridge were in for a rude surprise. Customers across South Korea found that their almost $4,000 appliance suddenly shut down after a faulty firmware update, turning them into an expensive — and fresh food ruining — brick. As Star News Korea reports, an internal panel screen displayed an error message for hours. Even unplugging the fridge and plugging it back in didn’t solve the issue as the cool air continued to escape. Worst of all, the malfunction occurred just before the Chuseok holiday break, a mid-autumn harvest festival that celebrates the full Moon and lasts for three days. Some owners said they had to throw out special delicacies set aside for the festivities. Adding insult to injury, angry customers were told the earliest servicing date was October 1, long after the holiday. The infuriating incident perfectly highlights how even the most mundane aspects of our lives are being turned into a buggy over-the-air software update-infested nightmare against our will. Samsung claims its allegedly “Smart” fridges know what’s inside of them, can recommend recipes, and even play music thanks to “AI” — features that we’d bet that almost no customers have ever touched. After all, electric refrigerators have been around for over a century, a significant and largely uncomplicated luxury of modern living that hasn’t changed much over the decades. It’s not just fridges being ruined by trendy tech. We’ve come across massively overengineered AI toothbrushes, AI toasters, and creepy facial recognition-infused AI doorbells as well. Fortunately, consumers still have plenty of choices to make when it comes to appliances. But as more companies bet on AI and insist on making our lives miserable by integrating it into every aspect of our lives, more reliable alternatives may soon become harder to come by. More on AI appliances: Crazed CEOs Adding AI to Home Appliances