Connected speakers have not disappeared. However, it is clear that in recent years, this category of products has attracted less and less interest from the general public. According to IDC data, shipments of connected speakers are expected to decline by 8.8% in 2024. But it is possible that, in the near future, they will make a comeback thanks to generative artificial intelligence.
Indeed, thanks to recent advances in AI, connected speaker manufacturers have the opportunity to offer smoother and more natural interactions with connected speakers or screens. And recently, Google has started to deploy an improved version of its assistant on Nest speakers. As a reminder, this improvement was announced by Google in August.
“With Gemini technology, we’re also reimagining what your home assistant can do with just your voice. This will improve Google Assistant on your Nest speakers and displays, making it more natural and useful for everyone in your home. The updated Google Assistant will be able to understand you better, allowing you to chat more naturally and easily go back or ask follow-up questions.Google announced.
Users have noticed an improvement in Google Assistant
According to an article from 9to5Google, some users of Google smart speakers have noticed an improvement in the assistant. In essence, the classic version of Google Assistant would continue to be used for basic queries, such as those related to the weather. However, a Gemini-powered version would take over, with a different voice, for more complex queries that require a more conversational interface.
But for the moment, Google has not formalized this deployment. And it has not been confirmed that this deployment concerns users of the French version of Google Assistant. In any case, this is an improvement that could boost sales of Google’s connected speakers and screens.
Amazon is also preparing something
Otherwise, it should be noted that Amazon is also preparing an improved version of Alexa for its connected devices. This improved version should allow for smoother and more natural interactions, thanks to generative artificial intelligence. And it is rumored that the e-commerce giant could rely on artificial intelligence Claude from the company Anthropic to power this new version of Alexa.
This week, the Axios site also revealed that Amazon would try to collaborate with media outlets so that the improved version of Alexa could exploit their content. But, since all this information remains unofficial, we must remain cautious.
- Smart speaker shipments are down, but artificial intelligence could reignite consumer interest in these products
- Google is reportedly about to launch an improved version of Google Assistant, based on Gemini, on its Nest speakers
- Amazon is also preparing an improved version of its Alexa assistant
