DIGITAL LIFE

AI assistants repeat Alexa's story: why they still haven't won over users

Even with billions invested and promises of revolution, AI assistants continue to be used almost as they always have been: for weather, music, and alarms. YouGov data shows that advanced features, such as shopping and home automation, remain ignored by most. The problem? Lack of usefulness, technical limitations, and frustrated expectations.

Billions have been invested in artificial intelligence models to transform virtual assistants into indispensable everyday tasks. But in practice, Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant remain stuck with basic tasks. A YouGov survey reveals that, even with AI upgrades, users still don't see real value in the new features.

According to the YouGov survey, AI assistants may have become more "intelligent," but their use hasn't evolved. Most people still use them for functions that have existed for over a decade:

59% check the weather forecast;

51% ask to play music;

47% use them to get quick answers;

40% set alarms and timers.

In other words, even with the arrival of more advanced models, the user experience hasn't changed in practice.

Companies have invested heavily in new features to attract users, but the numbers show that interest remains low:

Only 19% use assistants to control connected devices at home;

Less than 10% interact with apps and extensions, such as Alexa Skills;

Only 14% make purchases via voice assistants, far from what the market predicted—an industry projected to generate US$30 billion in the next decade.

In short, the promise of an automated, AI-integrated life has yet to convince the average consumer.

Why the technology isn't taking off...According to the study, 42% of respondents say they don't see the need to use voice assistants in their daily lives. And, for those who do use them, technical limitations are still a problem:

27% complain that the assistant doesn't understand their commands;

12% point to accuracy issues;

10% say assistants are "less intelligent than expected."

The most desired feature by users, therefore, is not natural conversations or complex tasks, but something much simpler: better understanding of what is said.

User Experience Shortcomings:

-Inconsistency and Delays: Despite the promise of more fluid and intelligent interactions, the latest version of Alexa, Alexa+, still presents issues. Internal Amazon documents indicate that the launch faced delays, and users reported slow responses and inconsistency in more complex interactions.

-Clunky Interactions: In the past, Alexa has been criticized for repetitive responses and for not fully understanding commands. More recent reports from Alexa+ users include issues such as difficulty consistently adding new calendar events, demonstrating that, even with generative AI, fluidity remains a challenge.

-Risk of Intrusion: Reports of frightening users, such as a photographer's Alexa behaving strangely at night and a woman who heard recorded voices and breathing, create a narrative of invasion and terror. While these cases may be the result of technological glitches or bugs, they reinforce the sense that technology can become a threat, and this perception of vulnerability may extend to other AI assistants.

The new cycle of promises and challenges:

-Expectations vs. reality: Amazon, like other technology companies, is investing heavily to boost its assistants with generative AI, seeking to compete with platforms like ChatGPT. However, the complexity of this technology, which requires cloud processing and more robust language models, has created new challenges.

-Sacrificing privacy: To offer a more advanced and personalized experience, new AI assistants require even more user data. The case of Alexa+ demonstrates that the company may be forcing users to make a choice between enhanced functionality and privacy.

-The future at stake: The AI ​​assistant market is constantly evolving. With the launch of more advanced assistants, like Alexa+, there is a repeat of the cycle of enthusiasm followed by privacy concerns and usability issues. How new assistants address these issues will determine whether they follow the same path as Alexa.

The Big Tech Dilemma...The survey shows that, despite investments in generative AI, virtual assistants remain trapped in a paradox: they have become more sophisticated, but users continue to use them as always.

Companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple need to find new ways to demonstrate the real value of these products, whether through better speech understanding, more seamless integration with other devices, or features that truly solve everyday problems.

mundophone