Imagine what it’s like talking to an AI robot or AI assistant for the first time. Sometimes it may seem weird because you know you’re talking to an inanimate object that can think on its own and answer back. It’s like suddenly you talk to your pet cat and it answers back. Well, many experts believe this is the technology of the future, that is, being able to talk not only to AI’s but AI computers as well. According to GV (formerly Google Ventures) general partner, M.G. Siegler of Alphabet, the present usage of existing AI technology such as the AI powered device Amazon Echo or Google Assistant are the signs where technology is going in the near future, and it’s not far-fetched when we say NEAR future. Actually, the feeling of weirdness in talking to AI devices, most especially a computer, is more noticeable in certain age groups. For instance, millennials and older Gen-X and baby boomer generations may feel uncomfortable to talking to a machine.
That’s because the older generations cannot comprehend the fact of a machine that may be smarter than humans. But if you look at how the Gen-Y’ers and kids today talk to AI devices, it’s as if the AI is their most trusted friend in the world. Today’s kids aren’t afraid to face AI’s that are far smarter than they are.This behavior reaction towards voice-powered computing is basically the same with the rise of mobile devices. What started as a large mainframe machine became the desktop computer, and this got smaller and smarter, until it led to the laptop, which also got smarter and smaller, until it led to tablets and the smartphone. Past generations often didn’t want to part with their older phones because of the fear that smartphones were too complicated. This behavior is like a paradigm shift from the natural to the unnatural and yet the unnatural feels so natural because of the consequence of technology. Today it may seem weird that we can communicate with people by simply typing or poking on a screen, which is unnatural, and yet has been made natural by technology. The same can be said of voice computing eventually.
Video Courtesy of Youtube:
GV’s parent company Alphabet is already investing heavily on verbal computing technology with the release of its new hardware products. The company unveiled its Google Home device in October, the company’s first hardware device to incorporate its new digital Assistant. Almost similar to Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant responds to your voice and is powered by artificial intelligence. The Assistant is also available on Google’s new Pixel phone and Allo chat app. This single AI app alone is what makes all the difference between the Google Pixel phone and Apple’s iPhone. The Google Assistant follows in the footsteps of Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Microsoft’s Cortana, all of which are voice-powered personal assistants. Admittedly, the technology is far from perfect, and may go through several models until a really perfect AI computing device is produced. But like all technology, everything goes through steps until the ultimate is created.
