Google wants to make bots more friendly by giving them backstories
One of the things that made Apple’s Siri such a big deal when it launched was that she seemed to have a personality. Not only did she have a name, but she also was able to tell jokes. These little things humanized “her,” and made people feel more comfortable with talking to a bot. The same can be said for Amazon’s Alexa. Google, on the other hand, has chosen not to name its digital assistant.
Google Assistant is much more bot-like than Alexa and Siri, though it can do more powerful stuff. Google wants to make the Assistant seem more human. They’ve turned to artists from the Google Doodle team and a freelance artist from Pixar to solve the problem. Their goal will be to inject humor and storytelling into the digital assistant. But what exactly does that mean?
They refer to Google Assistant as a “character” that could have a childhood. The backstory of the Assistant would help people feel more familiar with the voice they interact with every day. Another way they could do this is by having the bot ask you for help occasionally, so the relationship goes both ways. It’s all about building a trusting relationship with a digital voice.
What do you think of the idea that your Google Assistant could have a backstory? Is that something that would make you feel more comfortable? It’s certainly an interesting idea.
[via Fast Company]