As intelligent systems make their way into our lives in the form of virtual assistants, humans are forming relationships with them as well. What happens when those relationships turn sour, or the servant/master dynamics inherent in the relationship permit abusive behavior? Based on our experience designing conversational UIs, we examine the emerging relationship dynamics between people and virtual assistants and introduce an ethical framework for the future of human computer interaction.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]