News
Alexa could soon imitate voices – what could go wrong?
Amazon wants to give customers the chance to make Alexa, the company’s voice assistant, sound just like their grandmother – or anyone else. Read more…
virtual assistants
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Kids don’t trust Alexa – great, but it’s no cure for fake news
Researchers say kids don’t believe everything Alexa and Siri tell them, suggesting they may grow up inoculated against fake news. But it’s not that simple. Read more…
Features
Can Alexa or Siri add to the Formula One experience?
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – US Grand Prix winner Kimi Raikkonen has always been known as ‘The Iceman’ but Formula One fans could soon have much more of an insight into just how cool he really Read more…
Features
AI chatbot ‘Raaji” offers health advice to rural women in Pakistan
To mark the UN’s International Day of Rural Women – which took place on Oct 15 – this article looks at the work of a female entrepreneur using AI technology in Pakistan to make a Read more…
News
Amazon strikes deal to stick Alexa in Marriott hotel rooms
(Reuters) – Amazon said on Tuesday that it has partnered with Marriott International to help increase guest access to amenities with Alexa, through its voice-controlled device Echo, in an attempt to expand its presence in Read more…
Features
Early signs that Google’s Reserve tool is evolving the search game
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google is drawing thousands of new customers to gyms and salons each month through its Reserve appointment-booking tool released last year, Reuters has learned, a quiet step in the company’s transition Read more…
Off the Wire
Smart homes generate tons of consumer data, and everybody wants some
Smart home devices and systems promise to deliver a new world of detailed consumer data and insight – and telcos, retailers, advertisers, and a host of service providers are keen to leverage those insights, finds a Read more…
News
Telefonica launches its digital assistant ‘Aura’ in six markets
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Spanish mobile operator Telefonica on Sunday launched a voice-activated assistant, called ‘Aura’, in six countries, using artificial intelligence to interact with its customers. The announcement, on the eve of the Mobile World Read more…
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Never mind the naysayers – Apple did a great job with HomePod
The controversy over Apple’s HomePod continues to simmer – late to the party, overpriced, no stereo, music from Apple sources only, limited Siri commands, limited third party SiriKit support. I’ve now had my HomePod over Read more…
Off the Wire
25% of customer service ops will use chatbots by 2020: Gartner
By 2020, 25% of customer service and support operations will integrate virtual customer assistant (VCA) or chatbot technology across engagement channels, up from less than 2% in 2017, according to Gartner. Speaking at of the Gartner Customer Experience Summit in Read more…
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Apple’s HomePod is too little too late for the smart speaker game
Apple’s much awaited HomePod is now available for pre-order and will start shipping on February 9. At $399, it is going up against some of the very best that the audio industry has to offer. Read more…
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CES offered nothing new but it was great for Google Assistant
Apart from automobiles, the prevailing theme at CES is one of boredom. Those looking for new trends have instead found the same stories as last year, albeit a bit more advanced than the last time Read more…
News
The virtual assistant war is coming to your home appliances
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Who would you rather have in your fridge? Alexa, Cortana, or some as-yet unknown virtual assistant? Manufacturers of appliances and other products are considering factors such as ease of use and Read more…
Off the Wire
Alibaba AI Labs and MediaTek unveil Smartmesh for Tmall Genie
Alibaba AI Labs, which leads the development of Alibaba’s consumer artificial intelligent products, and chipset maker MediaTek have announced the first Smartmesh connectivity solution in China that supports the latest many-to-many Bluetooth mesh technology, in Read more…
News
Google teams with OEMs to make smart speakers in tablet form
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Google said on Monday its voice-controlled virtual assistant will show up this year in new tablet-like devices designed by LG Electronics and Sony as the technology company seeks to challenge Amazon.com’s Read more…
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2018 Preview: Five issues to watch closely at CES and beyond
With CES 2018 now underway in Las Vegas, here are my Top 5 issues that are likely to prevail at the event, and indeed for the rest of 2018. Artificial intelligence hype, of course I Read more…
Off the Wire
Digital assistant owners use smartphones less at home: survey
Consumers who own in-home digital voice assistant devices are using their smartphones less often for entertainment and online purchasing, according to results of a new survey from Accenture. The online survey of 21,000 consumers in Read more…
Off the Wire
You’ll be seeing a lot of AI and digital assistants at CES: IHS Markit
As they become more ubiquitous in homes and in various consumer electronics products, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assistants are likely to be two of the major overarching themes at this week’s 2018 Consumer Electronics Read more…
Off the Wire
2018 Preview: Consumers will treat devices like fellow humans
Consumers will increasingly expect digital technology to increasingly operate on human terms in 2018 – which means they will expect technology interactions to be controlled by intonation, facial expression and body language. That’s according to Read more…
Off the Wire
Accenture pilot leverages AI and Alexa to assist the elderly
Accenture says it has completed a pilot program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and digital-assistant speakers to help elderly people manage the daunting challenges of navigating care delivery and improving their well-being. The Accenture Liquid Studio Read more…