The word 'hello' is becoming obsolete as smartphone technology and AI scammers change how people greet each other on the phone.
The word 'hello' has served as a standard telephone greeting for over a century, but it is increasingly being replaced by more informal options or skipped entirely. While the word appeared in print a few hundred years ago, it became a standardized greeting for the telephone after its invention by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.
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Thomas Edison preferred 'hello' over Bell's favored 'Ahoy-hoy' and decided it was the standard. However, modern technology is changing these habits. Because smartphones now feature caller ID, many people no longer feel the need to a formal greeting. A survey showed that 40% of 18-24 year-olds believe it is acceptable to answer the phone without any greeting at all. Additionally, AI technology now allows scammers to clone voices from telephone greetings to beg for money. To avoid being tricked by these robot scammers, experts suggest remaining silent until a human is confirmed on the line.