In 2011 Apple introduced the world to a virtual assistant using natural language to communicate with the users (SmartSheet, 2019). This virtual assistant is called Siri and listens to voice queries of the users, responding with a kind robotic female voice. Users could initially use Siri for simple factual questions, or to ask funny questions like: “Siri, will you marry me?”, to which Siri would respond: “My End User Licensing Agreement does not cover marriage. My apologies.” (Haslam, 2017). Since the inception of Siri, multiple different voice assistants have entered the market, and they have been vastly improving over the years. Due to the ever-increasing network of internet-connected devices, the usability of virtual assistants has been improved. The virtual assistants can now turn on your television, dim the lights, or play your next song (SmartSheet, 2019). Although this is already an exciting development compared with the initial features, emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT), could have an enormous impact on the further development of these virtual agents.
According to Gartner (Gartner, 2019) 20 billion smart connected IoT devices will be used around the world in 2020. This anticipated and immense network raises essential questions. How will all these devices all connect? How can they use each other’s information? Is the current network adequate to manage an interconnected IoT network? Currently, IoT devices are only connected within a particular home/business network. The applications are lacking the ability to utilize the information on the global network. Due to this lack, the potential synergies of the global IoT network are not utilized. Fortunately, where there are gaps, there are opportunities.
Fetch.Ai
An example of an innovative company trying to fill this gap is Fetch.Ai. This blockchain-based company is creating a decentralized environment that combines infrastructures with ecosystems, or rather “ecostructures”. These ecostructures enable IoT devices to communicate seamlessly, autonomously, and securely in real-time. Fetch.Ai uses three key components to utilize the growing IoT network (Weeks, 2018). Firstly, by using blockchain, they lever the decentralized web and ensure scalability. Secondly, they use a search system to allow IoT devices to interact and negotiate with each other. Lastly, the IoT devices will be used as autonomous economic agents who will drive the IoT network.
Usability
But, what does this have to do with Siri? Garnet predicts that by 2022, 50% of all ecosystems will use virtual assistants to interact more naturally with their surroundings and users (Gartner, 2019). However, they notice that the current infrastructure is not sufficient enough to utilize the possibilities of this network. By using Fetch.Ai virtual assistants can optimize various operations, such as route planning, and interact more naturally in a conversational way (Fetch.Ai, 2019). Also, reservations can be made using a virtual assistant where Fetch.Ai can facilitate in the negotiation of prices with restaurants, shifting the current business model to a more personal one.
Is this the future?
Virtual assistants could be so intertwined in our digital world that future generations cannot imagine a world where devices do not communicate with people and with each other. What do you think? Are Alexa and Siri our future right-hands, negotiating even our salaries? Or is a decentralized global network with autonomous agents a utopia?
Ciligot, C. (2019). 7 Key Predictions For The Future Of Voice Assistants And AI [Blog post] | Clearbridge. Retrieved 7 October 2019, from https://clearbridgemobile.com/7-key-predictions-for-the-future-of-voice-assistants-and-ai/
Fetch.Ai. (2019). Intelligent Autonomous Agents Optimize Vehicle Journeys LIVE | Use Case | Blockchain AI | Fetch.AI. Retrieved 7 October 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvUFchxbBOQ
Haslam, K. (2019). Have a giggle with Siri. Retrieved 7 October 2019, from https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/funny-things-siri-3656639/
SmartSheet. (2019). How Voice Assistants Are Changing Our Lives [Blog post] | Smartsheet. Retrieved 7 October 2019, from https://www.smartsheet.com/voice-assistants-artificial-intelligence
Weeks, M. (2018). The Evolution and Design of Digital Economies. Retrieved from https://fetch.ai/uploads/Fetch.AI-Economics-white-paper.pdf
