In the last 5 years, AI virtual assistants have made significant leaps, and will soon become indispensable in our daily lives, both in personal and professional settings. The journey of personal assistants started as early as 1960 with ELIZA, a program that mimicked conversation through pattern matching. But it was Apple’s introduction of Siri in 2011, which launched the modern era of virtual assistants. Now, voice based assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, are transforming how we interact with technology, streamlining tasks and managing our calendars.
AI is the driving force behind this evolution and the latest developments especially around natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, have enhanced their ability to perform complex tasks and understand user needs more accurately.
Market.us predicts that by 2028, virtual professionals will make up half of the US workforce, highlighting the growing impact of AI on our lives.
In 2023, Amazon announced a major update to Alexa, incorporating Generative AI capabilities. This update allows Alexa to handle more conversational and natural dialogue, making interactions smoother and more intuitive.
Moreover, virtual assistants are entering industries with major focus on customer service. A study by the IBM Institute for Business Value shows that 55% of respondents are eager for virtual assistants to improve their shopping experiences.
However, ethical concerns surround this growth. Bias and privacy are three major concerns. There can be bias in terms of product recommendations or hiring, based on the data they are trained on and to fulfil the company’s personal agenda. Privacy is another concern as these AI virtual assistants collect vast amounts of personal data which can be used for targeted advertising and shaping our opinions.
As AI continues to evolve, so too will virtual assistants, who’s capabilities will extend beyond basic task management and personalized recommendations. They will soon become an integral part of our lives, but concerns remain, which were recently highlighted in a new Netflix release “CTRL”.
References:
1. Hey Now Bots. (n.d.). Bots Generationales [Generative Bots]. Hey Now Bots, from https://heynowbots.com/en/bots-generaciones/#:~:text=We%20believe%20this%20idea%20reflects,are%20able%20to%20understand%20and
2. Weizenbaum, J. (n.d.). ELIZA – A Computer Program for the Study of Natural Language Communication, from https://web.njit.edu/~ronkowit/eliza.html#:~:text=This%20early%20natural%20language%20processing,Intelligence%20Laboratory%20by%20Joseph%20Weizenbaum.
3. Marr, B. (2023, September 26). Apple’s New AI Revolution: Why Apple Intelligence Could Change Everything. Bernard Marr, from https://bernardmarr.com/apples-new-ai-revolution-why-apple-intelligence-could-change-everything/
4. Amazon.com, Inc. (2023, December 5). Amazon Alexa: Generative AI. About Amazon, from https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/amazon-alexa-generative-ai
5. Constine, M. (2024, September 12). All Films and TV Shows That Will Be Added on Netflix in October (Ctrl+Netflix). PC Tech Magazine, from https://pctechmag.com/2024/09/all-films-and-tv-shows-that-will-be-added-on-netflix-in-october/ctrl-netflix/
