Just imagine your home after 10 years from now i.e. in 2030. You might imagine a picture of a huge TV screen that turns into a wall with a simple gesture, a driverless car parked in your garage and a robot butler emptying the washing machine for you. But what are the possibilities that Alexa will have evolved from a humble voice assistant that ‘lives’ in a cylinder to a walking, talking robot companion that helps you out around the home in a decade’s time?
Alexa – Smart voice assistant
Smart voice assistants are already a primary thing in many homes. As per the latest stats, more than 66.4 million people in the United States, that is around 26.2% of the total population, now own a smart speaker. Similar stats in the United Kingdom suggest they are nearly as popular, with more than 22% of residents reportedly now configured with a voice-activated device.
Its little difficult to predict whether these numbers will continue to rise, and whether Alexa or Google Assistant or Siri will be the most popular AI-based assistant in your home. But whichever of these devices is on top, there’s one thing that we know for sure – we all like the sound of our own voices!
The latest data from Juniper Research, suggests that voice-activated technology may increase over the coming years. The technology is quickly becoming one of the top ways we now search online and voice features and assistants are being added to our smartphone, smart TVs, fitness trackers and even our cars. Using your voice rather than relying on a screen is quick and reliable.
Alexa’s intelligence advancements
Amazon is constantly upgrading the way Alexa operates. Previous year, numerous updates were announced to bring Alexa a ‘memory’ feature, which enables Alexa to remember important dates, as well as ‘context carry over’. This means you can ask the AI-based assistant one question followed by another.
There’s something more! According to reports, a patent was also filed that would allow the AI-based voice assistant to respond to commands without needed a wake word.
Although these changes are raising privacy concerns (is Alexa always listening?) it could make interactions smoother.
Many of the latest updates on Alexa are focused on making conversation between you and Alexa realistic rather than feeling like you are talking to a computer. But it’s not all about conversation skills that need to develop. The suggestions this AI-based voice assistant provides, and the way it helps around the home, will be important for evolving it from a smart assistant into an invaluable member of the family.
Some rumors have suggested that Amazon is working on its own Alexa-enabled wearable, which could tap into your emotional state by keeping tabs on breathing and heart rate. Although this may sound a little interfering but it could eventually lead to more helpful assistants.
Imagine a future in which Alexa already knows that you are tired, so without asking, runs you a bath, dims the lights and has already answered all the calls to cancel your plans for the evening. Amazing!