Poll: which is the best AI assistant?
Doing things the old fashioned way can be a hard habit to break, but using an AI assistant can be more efficient for you in the long run (if you're willing to look past privacy concerns). With smart home devices becoming more popular and Google Assistant now coming to more smartphones, we thought it would be a good time to find out which AI assistant our readers think is best.
Which AI assistant will come out on top?
Each of the most popular AI assistants have been making strides recently. Google's conversational assistant, which can control smart home devices, isn't just for the Pixel anymore. Google has announced that its AI assistant is coming to all smartphones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and up. The bad news is that tablets won't be receiving Assistant. Amazon's Alexa, on the other hand, is a bit more open, as its API allows developers to integrate it into other devices. Perhaps Alexa will end up on more devices and gain more popularity because of this.
While Google Assistant and Alexa have been dominating the headlines lately, Siri isn't falling behind. Apple's well-known assistant can also control dozens of smart home devices through HomeKit. Microsoft's Windows 10 Creators Update, expected to be released in the coming days, could bring Cortana, which has been lagging behind the competition but can be connected to home devices as well. While each of these assistants has their own advantages and disadvantages, in the end it all comes down to a matter of user preference.
What do you like best about your favorite assistant? What didn't you like about the others you've tried? Or...are you waiting to try Samsung's rumored Bixby assistant? Let us know in the comments!
Google Now.
After watching the unveiling of the s8/+ today live and hearing what the function will be of bixby I must say I'm not impressed. I like to know where my apps are and getting constant reminders during the day at certain times and when I change my location during the day apps will change and all of that stuff will irritate me to put it mildly. I like to set up my device and know where everything is and it must be like I want it. Once again it's like someone else wants to dictate to me when I should use a app for example and when and how I should use my device. Yes at 17:00 yesterday I used let's say google+ it doesn't mean I'm going to use it again at that time today. So will it help me if a AI monitors my usage and try to predict my pattern of usage of my device. I doubt it. It might just frustrate me more that being something useful.
Bixby is just a programm and I do not see any use of it, but, it will not chance the position of the apps on your regular screens at all, only on this special bixby screen you will get different Apps at different places and times, as far as I understand it from the presentation today.....
O, ok I see so another "tab"/screen will be added on the home screen to accommodate bixby then. Another thing I would like to add bixby will probably use more battery/processing power and drain the battery even more than before with all the processes running in the background monitoring changes, times etc.
I absolutely agree, I think in a few weeks when the S8 is released we will have a very clear winner. But prior to Bixby bring released, this is a pointless survey. Perhaps you can re question people after ALL OF THE OPTIONS are available!
Good point. We don't have ALL of the assistants yet to fairly vote.
Alexa works well for me when it somes to home automation, using spotify etc.
But she's totally passive. For example you can use her as an input device in IFTTT but not as an output device. I would like to be informed of things instead of asking.
True and I agree that if you always have to ask, then what's the point. It's not assisting you. Isn't that the point of automated tech to reduce your workload? That's my take but some may disagree.
I don't have Google assistant yet but have experience with Siri so at this time that's the only one I have experience with and so that's what I voted for. I have tried Cortana and SoundHound but they seemed lacking features. I also use ok Google which in my opinion works better than Siri.
Dean L, not trying to be a nitpicker, but, SoundHound is ONLY A MUSIC RECOGNITION SERVICE!, OK Google is at least a partial assistant.
True it's for music but as an assistant that you activate by saying 'ok hound'. But it's not the greatest. And it's not a complete assistant since a lot of searches give you no results found. But it was advertised as an assistant when SoundHound released the update with it. Point noted.
The worst thing about these assistants, is having to use a trigger word. These already identify your particular voice, so why the keyword just to use them? At least let us change the keyword to personalize it, that shouldn't be hard. I know that to change the keyword on assistant(maybe, or was that google now), but it's too involved. Wish marketing would keep their hands out of tech, someone will come out with this ability, say it's new , feature it, and maybe charge $ for a simple ability.
Shoulda waited to publish this article til after we see what Bixby is all about tomorrow. Or even after you had the phone for a couple days. Dang right guys?
yes and no - the 4 assistants mentioned above all have been on the market for some time, and enough people have had the chance to test them out on a daily basis. Bixby isnt even out yet - and even when its presented today, how long will it take for the S8 to arrive to those who pre-orderd it? It wouldn't be a fair comparison to include an assistant that no one has had a chance to test