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For the human occupation, see Virtual assistant (occupation).
Google Assistant running on a Pixel XL smartphone
Apple TV remote control, with which users can ask Siri virtual assistant to find content to watch
Amazon Echo smart speaker running the Alexa virtual assistant

A virtual assistant is a software agent that can perform tasks or services for an individual. Sometimes the term "chatbot" is used to refer to virtual assistants generally or specifically those accessed by online chat (or in some cases online chat programs that are for entertainment and not useful purposes).

As of 2017, the capabilities and usage of virtual assistants are expanding rapidly, with new products entering the market. An online poll in May 2017 found the most widely used in the US were Apple's Siri (34%), Google Assistant (19%), Amazon Alexa (6%), and Microsoft Cortana (4%).[1] Apple and Google have large installed bases of users on smartphones. Microsoft has a large installed base of Windows-based personal computers, smartphones and smart speakers. Alexa has a large install base for smart speakers.[2]

History

The first tool enabled to perform digital speech recognition was the IBM Shoebox, presented to the general public during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair after its initial market launch in 1961. This early computer, developed almost 20 years before the introduction of the first IBM Personal Computer in 1981, was able to recognize 16 spoken words and the digits 0 to 9. The next milestone in the development of voice recognition technology was achieved in the 1970s at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with substantial support of the United States Department of Defense and its DARPA agency. Their tool "Harpy" mastered about 1000 words, the vocabulary of a three-year-old. About ten years later the same group of scientists developed a system that could analyze not only individual words but entire word sequences enabled by a Hidden Markov Model.[3] Thus, the earliest virtual assistants, which applied speech recognition software were automated attendant and medical digital dictation software.[4] In the 1990s digital speech recognition technology became a feature of the personal computer with Microsoft, IBM, Philips and Lernout & Hauspie fighting for customers. Much later the market launch of the first smartphone IBM Simon in 1994 laid the foundation for smart virtual assistants as we know them today.[5] The first modern digital virtual assistant installed on a smartphone was Siri, which was introduced as a feature of the iPhone 4S on October 4, 2011.[6] Apple Inc. developed Siri following the 2010 acquisition of Siri Inc., a spin-off of SRI International, which is a research institute financed by DARPA and the United States Department of Defense.[3]

Method of interaction

Virtual assistants make work via:

Some virtual assistants are accessible via multiple methods, such as Google Assistant via chat on the Google Allo app and via voice on Google Home smart speakers.

Virtual assistants use natural language processing (NLP) to match user text or voice input to executable commands. Many continually learn using artificial intelligence techniques including machine learning.

To activate a virtual assistant using the voice, a wake word might be used. This is a word or groups of words such as "Alexa" or "OK Google".[7]

Devices and objects where found

Virtual assistants may be integrated into many types of platforms or, like Amazon Alexa, across several of them:

Services

Virtual assistants can provide a wide variety of services, and particularly those from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant grow by the day. These include:[16]

  • Provide information such as weather, facts from e.g. Wikipedia or IMDB, set an alarm, make to-do lists and shopping lists
  • Play music from streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora; play radio stations; read audiobooks
  • Play videos, TV shows or movies on televisions, streaming from e.g. Netflix
  • Conversational commerce, see below
  • Complement and/or replace customer service by humans.[17] One report estimated that an automated online assistant produced a 30% decrease in the work-load for a human-provided call centre.[18]

Conversational commerce

Main article: Conversational commerce

Conversational commerce is e-commerce via various means of messaging, including via voice assistants[19] but also live chat on e-commerce Web sites, live chat on messaging apps such as WeChat, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp[20] and chatbots on messaging apps or Web sites.

Third-party services

Amazon enables Alexa "Skills" and Google "Actions", essentially apps that run on the assistant platforms.

Developer platforms

The platforms that power the most widely used virtual assistants are also used to power other solutions:

  • Amazon Lex was opened to developers in April 2017. It involves natural language understanding technology combined with automatic speech recognition and had been introduced in November 2016.[21]
  • Google provides the Actions on Google and API.ai platforms for developers to create "Actions" for Google Assistant[22]
  • Apple provides SiriKit for developers to create extensions for Siri
  • IBM's Watson, while sometimes spoken of as a virtual assistant is in fact an entire artificial intelligence platform and community powering some virtual assistants, chatbots. and many other types of solutions.[23][24]

Previous generations

In previous generations of text chat-based virtual assistants, the assistant was often represented by an avatar of (a.k.a. 'interactive online character or automated character) — this was known as an embodied agent.

Full comparison of assistants

Intelligent personal assistant Developer Free software Free and open-source hardware HDMI out External I/O IOT Chromecast integration Smart phone app Always on Unit to unit voice channel
Alice Yandex No N/A N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
AliGenie Alibaba Group No No N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
Assistant Speaktoit No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Alexa (a.k.a. Echo) Amazon.com No No No No Yes No Yes Yes ?
Bixby Samsung Electronics No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes N/A N/A
BlackBerry Assistant BlackBerry Limited No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Braina Brainasoft No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Cadence Cadence studio No N/A N/A N/A N/A No Yes Yes N/A
Clova Naver Corporation No N/A N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
Cortana Microsoft No N/A N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
Duer Baidu[25]
Evi Amazon.com True Knowledge No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Google Assistant Google No N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
Google Now Google No N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A
M (discontinued January 2018)[26] Facebook
Lucida Clarity Lab, University of Michigan
[third-party source needed]		 Yes N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Mycroft[27] Mycroft AI Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Nina Nuance No
Saiy(a.k.a. utter!) Saiy Ltd. Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes N/A
Sherpa Sherpa Europe SL No N/A N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
SILVIA Cognitive Code No N/A N/A N/A No No Yes No N/A
Siri Apple Inc. No No N/A N/A Yes No Yes Yes N/A
Snips Snips SAS Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A Yes N/A
Viv Samsung Electronics No N/A N/A N/A Yes No Yes No N/A
Xiaowei Tencent

Economic relevance

Digital experiences enabled by virtual assistants are considered to be among the major recent technological advances and most promising consumer trends. Experts claim that digital experiences will achieve a status-weight comparable to ‘real’ experiences, if not become more sought-after and prized.[28] The trend is verified by a high number of frequent users and the substantial growth of worldwide user numbers of virtual digital assistants. In mid-2017, the number of frequent users of digital virtual assistants is estimated to be around 1bn worldwide.[29] In addition, it can be observed that virtual digital assistant technology is no longer restricted to smartphone applications, but present across many industry sectors (incl. automotive, telecommunications, retail, healthcare and education).[30] In response to the significant R&D expenses of firms across all sectors and an increasing implementation of mobile devices, the market for speech recognition technology is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 34.9% globally over the period of 2016 to 2024 and thereby surpass a global market size of USD 7.5 billion by 2024.[30] Taking into consideration the regional distribution of market leaders, North American companies (e.g. Nuance Communications, IBM, eGain) are expected to dominate the industry over the next years, due to the significant impact of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and enterprise mobility business models. Furthermore, the increasing demand for smartphone-assisted platforms are expected to further boost the North American Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) industry growth. Despite its smaller size in comparison to the North American market, the intelligent virtual assistant industry from the Asia-Pacific region, with its main players located in India and China is predicted to grow at an annual growth rate of 40% (above global average) over the 2016-2024 period.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ Jefferson Graham (2017-06-05). "Apple unveils $349 HomePod to bring voice to home audio". USA Today. 
  2. ^ Daniel B. Kline (2017-01-30). "Alexa, How Big Is Amazon's Echo?". The Motley Fool. 
  3. ^ a b "Feature: Von IBM Shoebox bis Siri: 50 Jahre Spracherkennung - WELT" [From IBM Shoebox to Siri: 50 years of speech recognition] (in German). Welt.de. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  4. ^ Zwass, Vladimir (2016-02-10). "speech recognition | technology". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Britannica.com. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  5. ^ "Smartphone: your new personal assistant - Orange Pop". Pop.orange.com. 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  6. ^ Darren Murph (2011-10-04). "iPhone 4S hands-on!". Engadget.com. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  7. ^ "S7617 - Developing Your Own Wake Word Engine Just Like 'Alexa' and 'OK Google'". GPU Technology Conference. Retrieved July 17, 2017. 
  8. ^ Lynn La (2017-02-27). "Everything Google Assistant can do on the Pixel". CNET. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  9. ^ Morrison, Maureen (2014-10-05). "Domino's Pitches Voice-Ordering App in Fast-Food First | CMO Strategy". AdAge. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  10. ^ Dan O'Shea (2017-01-04). "LG introduces smart refrigerator with Amazon Alexa-enabled grocery ordering". Retail Dive. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  11. ^ Samuel Gibbs (2017-02-07). "Amazon's Alexa escapes the Echo and gets into cars | Technology". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  12. ^ "What is Google Assistant, how does it work, and which devices offer it?". Pocket-lint. 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  13. ^ ""Ask Jenn", Alaska Airlines website". Alaskaair.com. 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  14. ^ AT&T Tech Channel (2013-06-26). "American Airlines (US Airways) - First US Airline to Deploy Natural Language Speech" (video), Nuance Enterprise on YouTube. YouTube.com. Retrieved 2017-12-10. YouTube title: Airline Information System, 1989 - AT&T Archives - speech recognition 
  15. ^ Sayer, Peter (April 20, 2017). "By Djingo, there's a new virtual assistant". PC World. IDG News Service. Retrieved July 20, 2017. 
  16. ^ Taylor Martin; David Priest (2017-09-10). "The complete list of Alexa commands so far". CNET. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  17. ^ Kongthon, Alisa; Sangkeettrakarn, Chatchawal; Kongyoung, Sarawoot; Haruechaiyasak, Choochart (2009-01-01). "Implementing an Online Help Desk System Based on Conversational Agent". Proceedings of the International Conference on Management of Emergent Digital EcoSystems. MEDES '09. New York, NY, USA: ACM: 69:450–69:451. doi:10.1145/1643823.1643908. ISBN 9781605588292. 
  18. ^ Anthony O'Donnell (2010-06-03). "Aetna's new "virtual online assistant"". Insurance & Technology. Archived from the original on 2010-06-07. 
  19. ^ "How to prepare your products and brand for conversational commerce". 6 March 2018. 
  20. ^ Taylor, Glenn. "Retail's Big Opportunity: 87% Of U.S. Consumers Grasp The Power Of Conversational Commerce - Retail TouchPoints". 
  21. ^ "Amazon Lex, the technology behind Alexa, opens up to developers". TechCrunch. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  22. ^ "Actions on Google | Google Developers". Developers.google.com. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  23. ^ "Watson - Stories of how AI and Watson are transforming business and our world". Ibm.com. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  24. ^ Memeti, Suejb; Pllana, Sabri (January 2018). "PAPA: A parallel programming assistant powered by IBM Watson cognitive computing technology". Journal of Computational Science. doi:10.1016/j.jocs.2018.01.001. Retrieved 16 February 2018. 
  25. ^ "Baidu unveils 3 smart speakers with its Duer digital assistant". 8 January 2018. 
  26. ^ Newton, Casey (14 January 2018). "Facebook is shutting down M, its personal assistant service that combined humans and AI". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 8 January 2018. 
  27. ^ Janakiram MSV (20 August 2015). "Meet Mycroft, The Open Source Alternative To Amazon Echo". Forbes. Retrieved 27 October 2016. 
  28. ^ "5 Consumer Trends for 2017". TrendWatching. 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  29. ^ Felix Richter (2016-08-26). "Chart: Digital Assistants - Always at Your Service". Statista. Retrieved 2017-12-10. 
  30. ^ a b c "Virtual Assistant Industry Statistics « Global Market Insights, Inc". Gminsights.wordpress.com. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2017-12-10.