What does the example of voice assistants answering "I'm sad" show?

That every design choice expresses values: the answer can encourage comfort and closeness or toughness and discipline, and at scale it can shape users' attitude to life, so developers have to reflect on it consciously.

• Alexa (USA, 2017): "I wish I had arms so I could give you a hug."
• Alexa (German-speaking, 2022): "I'm sorry. Sometimes it helps to talk to a friend, drink a cup of tea or go for a walk."
• Yandex (Russia): "Nobody said life was meant to be fun."

Which answer is more right? There is no neutral one. VbE's goal is to create the time and space for this reflection:

1. anticipate the value structure of a future system,
2. think it through deliberately with the stakeholders,
3. prioritise the values and turn them into system requirements.