
Siri, Alexa and Other Virtual Assistants Put to the Test - dnetesn
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/technology/personaltech/siri-alexa-and-other-virtual-assistants-put-to-the-test.html?ref=technology
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emailgregn
How long before these vacuous AI assistants will be useful in the real world?

* _" Siri, check if there are better deals than renewing my car insurance with current provider."_

* _" Cortana, book my brother a flight from Milan to Toulouse on Monday, and don't forget to check budget airlines that aren't on expedia."_

* _" Alexa, change my phone contract to the new daysaver tariff."_

Telling me it's raining outside or being able to make a restaurant booking in
a handful of places in NYC is just not interesting^W AI.

Context and identity seem to be major missing ingredients.

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blabla_blublu
All the above things are possible only when the other parts of the interacting
system - The Insurance System/Phone Contracting Company begin building
relatively user/AI friendly interfaces.

Majority of these (mundane yet important)tasks go through poorly designed
systems and expecting AI to navigate that hell-hole is a far fetched dream
given the current climate (Maybe, a dozen years). On the other hand, if we
slowly move towards a world where these systems are also replaced by AI, then
we will be closer.

