Artificial intelligence and grief: Why technology can’t replace people | Opinion

Human touch

Artificial Intelligence has no feelings.

My sister passed away in March, and I am coping with the resulting problems: funeral, credit card and other bills, her dogs and cats, grieving family members and other changes.

Will AI come to your house and sit with you? Will it bring over a meal? Will it give you a hug? Will it call and ask if you need anything? Will it hold you while you cry?

AI generates a “Sorry for your loss” text, but it does not feel genuine.

People are so much more than data points and need other people to share their lives. We are losing sharing with each other.

- Carol Philo, Kansas City

It’s robbery

Dear Gov. Mike “Give-to-the-rich-and-rob-from-the-poor” Kehoe:

You want to eliminate Missouri’s income tax. I remember how Kansas tried something similar. Maybe you can’t recall the disaster and how it evolved. Total failure.

Currently, and for several years, I have not paid Missouri income tax — because my income was too low. Mostly, I live on my Social Security. However, I spend about $2,200 on sales tax per year. Every cent the sales tax goes up to fill the budget shortfall created by the “no income tax” plan, I would pay more. Robbery by politics.

Vote against this ridiculous idea.

- Bo L. Steed, Gallatin, Missouri

On track?

In the Royals’ final spring-training game at Surprise, Arizona, on March 21, I watched as pitcher Cole Ragans stood on the mound and threw up his arms in frustration. He had been taken out of the game earlier, then reentered. I was mystified the Royals named him opening-day starter. The Braves won 6-0. The year before, he got a no-decision pitching against the Guardians. The Royals lost 7-4.

I’ve been a Kansas City baseball fan 70 years. I attended my first spring training in 1983. I’ve been a Royals spring-training season ticket holder for 10 years. As a journalist (I started my career with The Star), I sometimes wrote about baseball. For The San Diego Tribune, I profiled Padres manager Dick Williams, who had taken three different franchises to the World Series — including the Padres after two years. When I asked him the secret to his success, he said: “My reputation precedes me.” He didn’t accept excuses for losing.

I wish all Royals fans could come to spring training. The Royals placed last in the Cactus League this year, and deserved to. The continued excuses by general manager J.J. Picollo and manager Matt Quatraro that the team is on track are wildly misleading.

- Greg Joseph, Sun City, Arizona

Congress’ control

On May 18, the Department of Justice announced the settlement of Donald Trump’s sham lawsuit against the IRS, creating a $1.776 billion fund basically to pay the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. The next day, Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer disclosed additional terms that the IRS is “forever barred and precluded” from pursuing “examinations” of Trump, “related or affiliated individuals” and his trusts or businesses.

The theft is bad. The 1776 insult to our 250th anniversary is bad. Revealing his attitude toward women by leaving out his daughters is bad, and his fear of transparency on his taxes is bad.

But worst is the message sent to the those who interfere with our elections: Not only will I pardon you, but I will pay you.

And where are our Kansas members of Congress? Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Rep. Derek Schmidt have made noise about concerns over the fund. Reps Tracey Mann and Ron Estes have been silent, as far as I can tell. But none of them has done anything.

They need to act. Congress is supposed to control the purse strings.

- Ronnie Svaty, Ellsworth, Kansas

Shoot for 7

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being totally perfect, 1 being a total loser, what number should you see yourself?

The answer is 7. A 7 means you are not perfect, but you are not that bad.

The things in your life you like, that you are interested in, you may be an 8 or a 9. The things you don’t like or have no interest in, you may be a 4 or a 5. But on average, you are a 7.

A 7 means you have room to grow. You don’t have the pressure to be perfect. You can make some mistakes, learn from them. You can relax, accept yourself, discover your gifts and learn how to use them. You can go through life with your eyes open, change your mind if you want and see yourself as a work in progress instead of a finished product.

Nothing in life is set in stone. You don’t have to know what you will do with the rest of your life. Give yourself time. Let yourself grow. Forget about having to be perfect in every room you walk into.

We all make mistakes. You are just fine. You will make it.

- Tom Krause, Kansas City