Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

AI likely to make voice assistants smarter

Aug 2, 2023
Google aims to “supercharge” Google Assistant with the same tech that underlies ChatGPT, which could boost communication.
Programs like Google Assistant, Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri still have problems understanding exactly what people say, but artificial intelligence may improve their functionality.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Hey, kids! Robots aren't people

Jul 24, 2018
We need to work with designers so children don't think of digital assistants as buddies, one expert says.
“There actually is a sort of pent-up demand for robot conversation because people are lonely,” says MIT researcher Sherry Turkle. Above, a Tanscorp UU smart robot at CES 2017 in Las Vegas.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images