In case you weren’t freaked out by AI just yet, Alexa will soon be able to read body language.
At a recent event, Amazon announced that Alexa would be getting some serious upgrades.
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Back when it was first launched, the AI assistant could do simple things like set a timer or play your favorite songs.
Even that seemed like witchcraft at the time but a lot has changed since then.
These days, most users mainly use Alexa for simple tasks like timing their boiled eggs or turning off lights but Amazon wants her to be more than just a glorified kitchen timer.
Alexa now needs to keep up in a world where services like ChatGPT are becoming more and more mainstream.
In a few weeks, users will be able to say “Let’s chat” to unlock the new and improved assistant.
She will now be able to have a conversation with you that flows naturally like it would between two humans.
Instead of instructing her to turn on the heating you can just say “I’m cold.”
And if you say “the floor is dirty”, she’ll order your Roomba to get on it.
Alexa will be able to answer more complex questions too.
You can ask her for date night ideas, to write you a story or even to compose an original poem.
One of the other major changes will be her tone of voice.
Alexa will now be able to modulate her voice according to the information she’s conveying.
If you ask her the score and she knows your team lost, she’ll deliver the news with empathy in her voice.
In other words, she’ll be able to read the room.
Alexa is already fluent in eight languages and will now add another one to her list: body language.
Devices equipped with cameras will see Alexa reading users’ posture and expressions to sense when the conversation is over.
Let’s be honest, some humans aren’t even capable of doing that.
