Top 10 Best AI Assistants for 2021
With COVID accelerating the rise of digitisation, AI assistants are rapidly becoming indispensable. The numbers of these virtual PAs are set to top 7.5 billion active devices in 2021.
An AI assistant is a software program that uses natural language processing to follow voice commands. They’re getting close to being able to do everything a human assistant can do – take dictation, read text, find phone numbers, make calls, and email meeting reminders and schedules, for example.
They’re usually cloud-based, so you can access them anywhere with an internet connection, and they can also interface with smart devices in your home, like thermostats, cameras, and lights. Using complex self-teaching algorithms, they can even learn your needs, preferences and speech patterns, and be able to predict them.
The new generation of AI assistants are highly personalised, designed to know and do it all, to connect consumer and personal data in a secure way, and, of course, to stay out of the Uncanny Valley (that creepy borderland between human and not).
If you haven’t got an AI assistant yet, it’s time to get on board – but with giants like Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung and Microsoft all pushing their newest versions, which of this bevy of talented newcomers is the best bot for the job? Read on for our top 10
#1. Siri
Apple’s superstar bot, available across most Apple platforms, has the best-loved AI apps and can respond to complex voice queries. Her skills include:
Answering questions and giving recommendations
Making calls and texting
Telling you where you are
Reading you the weather report
Passing on requests to other Internet services
Siri can adapt to your language and preferences
Siri adapts to users’ searches, languages, and preferences, and is favoured by 44% of American smartphone users, according to a 2018 survey.
#2. Cortana
Microsoft’s Cortana, named after a literary AI, is also popular and uses device data and the Bing search engine to deliver personal recommendations. Cortana can work with many Windows apps, as well as third-party apps, and handle tasks like:
Giving reminders and taking notes
Answering questions
Hands-free assistance
Calendar and tasklist management
#3. Google Assistant
Google joined the virtual assistant race in 2016 with this offering, one of the most highly advanced AI assistants. Responding to both text and voice, Google Assistant can help you with:
Voice-activated searches and device control
Task management
Finding info online (of course)
Appointments and reminders
Real-time translation
The assistant can be found in cars, fridges and headphones as well as in phones.
#4. Alexa
Amazon’s Alexa can play you music and audiobooks, and in some models, can be activated with a wakeword. Alexa’s other skills include:
Making to-do lists
Podcast streaming
Alarms
Real-time weather, traffic, news and sports information
#5. Bixby
Samsung’s Bixby is contextually aware and can give personalised answers that vary according to who’s asking. Bixby has skills that include:
Taking selfies
Turning AC and lights off and on
Changing your TV channel and wallpaper
Tailored news and weather information
Meeting reminders
Calling and texting
Posting pictures to Facebook
#6. DataBot
Designed to look like a protocol droid, DataBot can answer questions on a wide range of interesting and important topics, and entertain you with quotes, riddles and jokes. And yes, as you’d expect from a protocol droid, DataBot is fluent in several languages. The droid’s other skills include:
Personalised dialogue and tutorials
Multimedia presentations
Etymology, synonyms and antonyms
Health monitoring
Web searches
Shopping lists, appointments and reminders
Alarm clock
News and horoscopes
Voice-activated music and fun sounds
Email, texting, and posting on social media
#7. Lyra
Highly intelligent Lyra can also understand multiple languages and read context and intent like a human. Lyra’s abilities include:
Finding you the best bar or restaurant
Voice-activated music controls
Directions and Google Maps searches
Searching via a number of searches, Yelp, and YouTube
Text translation from over 70 languages
Connecting with social media
Weather for anywhere in the world
#8. Hound
While you may not have heard of Hound, it’s favoured by an array of big names including Motorola, Hyundai, Honda and Mercedes-Benz. Hound can handle all these tasks and more:
Fast, accurate searches with natural voice commands
Refining search results
Calling and texting
News and weather
Flight status updates
Finding hotels
Navigation
Calling Uber
#9. Youper
Youper is a bit different, focusing on emotional health rather than practical needs. This expert-approved and highly-rated assistant gets to know users and can track their moods. Functions include:
Quick conversations
Help controlling your emotional health
Personalised guided meditations
Personalised techniques chosen for you, including mindfulness and CBT
#10. Robin
Audioburst’s AI assistant (or should that be sidekick?) is open and expandable, unlike Siri, and can even respond to gestures. Robin’s functions include:
Playing your favourite radio and podcast content
Calling and texting
Automatic playlist building
Traffic alerts and parking information
Fuel price updates
Information on sports, food, celebrities, politics, history and design