AI voice assistants have been here for a few years now, but the concept of man talking to machines can be dated back to the 1960s when MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum created the first natural language processing computer program by the name of ELIZA. This technology has had its setbacks and barriers along the way, but today, we have very accurate and efficient voice assistants developed by the big tech companies of the world. The primary ones are
- Alexa by Amazon
- Siri by Apple
- Google Assistant by, wait for it, Google
It’s pretty sensible to compare the available options when multiple options for the same thing are present in the market. Whether it is Alexa or Google Assistant or Siri, every voice assistant is unique in their own way, some are funny and interactive while others are more accurate with their responses. We will compare different aspects of these AI voice assistants and determine the best voice assistant among them.
1. Ease of Accessibility
When determining the better of the available options, this might be one of the key factors. If a voice assistant is more accessible to people, it means that more people will use it and it will have the most feedback to better itself.
Google Assistant leads the line in this regard. Being available on every Android and iOS device, Chromebooks, Google’s own home speakers and Google nest, as well as third party Google AI enabled speakers, it is indeed used by a considerable number of people.
The runner up in this list is Alexa, which is available on a number of Amazon devices including Echo line speakers, Fire Tablets and the Fire TV. There are some third-party Alexa enabled speakers as well.
Siri comes last in the list, not because the devices enabled with Siri are less, but for the fact that they are not as cheap as those by Google or Amazon. Siri can be accessed on nearly every Apple device, including iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices.
2. Accuracy of Answers
All of these voice assistants gained popularity because people could talk to them, make voice commands and the assistants would respond appropriately. However, language is a very versatile and diverse thing and a difference in accents prevents the voice assistants from having a hundred percent accuracy stat. Thus, our AI powered voice assistants, although learning every day, rank differently in this domain.
According to independent researches, Google Assistant come on top with an astounding 88 percent, while Siri achieved second place with 75 percent accuracy. Alexa came last by answering only 72.5 percent of the questions correctly.
3. Setting up a Voice Assistant
Ease of setup is another deciding factor. This refers to the setting up of a voice assistant the first time you turn the device on. If the process is too long and complex, it can discourage the user from recommending the AI voice assistant device to his family and friends. The basic setup, i.e., how long does it take to enter basic information and start asking the assistant questions, is really not a long process for any of the three voice assistants under consideration. However, if you take into account customizations, app integrations and other settings, your experience with each of them will vary.
4. Playing Music
Voice assistants are very often commanded to play music on the speakers of its device. Now, what source the assistant uses to play the music depends on the company who manufactured it as well as personalized settings of the voice assistant device. Alexa, being the product of Amazon, plays songs from Amazon Music by default. But surprisingly, it is also compatible with other common music platforms including but not limited to, YouTube Music, Spotify and Pandora.
Google Assistant on the other hand supports different third-party music platforms like Spotify, but astonishingly does not support its own Google Play. Siri is placed last when it comes to music and songs because it requires you to have an Apple Music membership which is a hindrance. Thus, Alexa is so far triumphant in the battle of music.
5. Making Voice Assistants your Butler
You can make your voice assistants buy goods online and get them delivered to your doorstep by using only voice commands. It feels like you have a valet or butler at your disposal. Alexa provides the best experience when it comes to online shopping because it is associated with Amazon which is one the biggest marketplaces for almost everything. Google Assistant is also really handy with online shopping as it can navigate, recommend and guide you. Siri is not developed enough to help you with online shopping just yet.
To cut a long story short
All three of the voice assistants have their perks. Some are wittier and more accurate with their responses while others are more accessible to everyone. Some have more resources at their disposal when asked the right questions. Thus, all of them are unique in their own way and determining the best voice assistant really depends on your own personal experience and choice.