Changes we're making to Google Assistant

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by RexM on Friday January 12, 2024 @05:07PM (#38974779)

Yes... when it does anything other than what I ask, it makes me feel like it's wasting my time.

Alexa recently started responding with "Good afternoon! <the normal response>" and it irks me more than it probably should. I've looked to see if I can turn it off and can't find the option.

I don't need pleasantries from a machine.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by ksjskskskkk on Friday January 12, 2024 @06:28PM (#38975596)

goal of assistants is to create a parasocial relation with your young kids so that advertisement is more effective.

notice how young kids associate ok google with a way to install games and reach their YouTube videos.

all those feature are for that end. you're not the target market. Good night!

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by dockd on Friday January 12, 2024 @07:26PM (#38976037)

I get "good evening" but not the corresponding "good morning".

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by bogomipz on Friday January 12, 2024 @07:36PM (#38976115)

Wow, is it possible that algorithmically it has decided that you are not a morning person?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by filedottsx on Friday January 12, 2024 @05:27PM (#38975001)

I got slightly irritated by the "Good afternoon!" message earlier today. Especially because I had already used Alexa a few times before it did that.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by mattbee on Friday January 12, 2024 @08:00PM (#38976280)

As a Brit, when I bark "Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes" and Alexa prefixes her reply with "Good evening <pause>", TO ME that sounds like a bitter correction-by-example to my abruptness. It's the sarcastic opposite of a pleasantry.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by droopyEyelids on Saturday January 13, 2024 @08:40AM (#38979773)

Well put, and it makes sense in the usa context too.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by HenryBemis on Friday January 12, 2024 @06:31PM (#38975614)

Can you instruct it to "stop the greetings - go straight to the response"? Doesn't Alexa (yet) have some LLM behind it that will create a profile just for you?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Changes we're making to Google Assistant by droopyEyelids on Saturday January 13, 2024 @08:43AM (#38979799)

Alexa is basically a CLI where you use your voice instead of typing

[ Parent | on HN ]