Samsung Spreads AI to all Phone Apps?

Interesting claim here, what exactly it means is unclear.  I remain skeptical about Samsung software, send me a demo of some sort and I will report on experience.   In Engadget:

Samsung's Galaxy S8 reportedly uses AI across all its apps
We've come a long way from the S Voice days.
by Jon Fingas, @jonfingas

" ... Samsung has been eager to drum up attention for the Galaxy S8's AI assistant, but just how is it going to work, exactly? We still don't have the clearest picture, but some details might be coming to light. A SamMobile source claims that the Viv-based, voice-guided helper (reportedly named Bixby) will have a presence in all the of the phone's included Samsung-made apps. You could use it in the Gallery app to show you photos of the beach, for example. This isn't a radical development when both Google Photos and iOS 10 can accomplish similar feats, but remember that Bixby is likely replacing S Voice, Samsung's aging in-house software -- the point is to offer software smart enough that you don't need to turn to another assistant.  ... " 

List of virtual Assistants.  (Updated)

Samsung Buying Viv

Apparently Samsung's 'Otto' assistant needs more intelligence to compete.   The forces are gathering for consumer AI everywhere.

Samsung to buy Viv Labs to challenge Google Assistant
A.I. startup Viv Labs was founded by the team that created Siri, and has a similar conversational interface ... 

(Via Walter Riker)

Siri Opens to Third Party Developers

Saw this annoncement from WWDC.     A near requirement after Echo moved in this space.    Depends too on precisely what 'open source' means here.   How narrowly is the API  defined?  Will the connection include some of the later developments from Viv?  How are needed services defined?   How is learning included and defined?  Lots of questions remain.

Apple finally opens Siri to third-party developers
As widely expected, Apple is lavishing TLC on its voice assistant, Siri, at this year’s WWDC. The company has just announced it will be letting developers bake Siri’s voice functionality into their apps — so users will be able to tap into third-party services just by saying ‘Hey Siri…’.

While there are some Siri third-party integrations already, such as Siri’s ability to perform look ups via Yelp, for example, or search for content on Twitter, the new capabilities greatly expand the potential for iOS users to call upon Siri, once developers start plugging their services directly into the voice interface. .... " 

Some details indicated, from O'Reilly:
" ... Apple has joined Amazon in offering an intelligent voice interface as a service. Siri—until now inaccessible to developers—will allow third-party apps to offer their services inside the Siri interface through an SDK called SiriKit.  ... " 

Technology Behind Viv

In Medium.  A system that writes its own code.  Though what exactly that means is unclear to me. Not classic machine learning.   My first question is always, to what specific goals and in what context?  Examining.

" ... Viv uses a patented [1] exponential self learning system as opposed to the linear programed systems currently used by systems like Siri, Echo and Cortana. What this means is that the technology in use by Viv is orders of magnitude more powerful because Viv’s operational software requires just a few lines of seed code to establish the domain [2], ontology [3] and taxonomy [4] to operate on a word or phrase. ... " 

Google Home to Compete with Amazon Echo

Announced today, the Google Home.  Previously code named the Chirp. Similar in form to the original Echo, but with more design choices.  Google is know to have some of the best voice AI systems around.  See also the Viv, by the same developers.

This new device also includes some of capabilities most often asked of the Echo. Like multi speaker control.  It brings in a number of initial partners to provide content, and some are the same as on the Echo.

   Also tries to cover similar retail and smart home capabilities. Like music, impulse services and smart lighting.  At this time it is not open to third party 'skill' developers. As in the Echo, there is no embedded screen.  I find that design choice interesting.  You leave out a sensory channel on purpose and create a new kind of presence.   No price has been announced, it is due to be out later this year.  

More Revealed on Virtual Assistant Viv

Viv, from Siri's creators, is the virtual assistant of your dreams
It's one step closer to giving us the AI from "Her."

Siri made the world aware of the potential of virtual assistants, but several years after its release, it's still a bit basic. Siri can only do certain, very specific tasks, and she doesn't play well with third-party services. So for their next product, Viv, the minds behind Siri aimed to build a much more capable virtual assistant. And at this point, it looks like they've succeeded, judging from a brief demonstration at TechCrunch Disrupt in NYC today. .... " 

Includes video.

An AI Assistant Called Viv

In TheVerge: Siri's creators will unveil their new AI bot on Monday  By Jacob Kastrenakes  " .... Viv is essentially meant to be Siri, but good. It's an AI assistant that you speak to, but the difference here is that Viv is supposed to be able to handle complex requests and actually carry them out. The idea is that you could ask Viv to book you dinner and a movie, and it would just go ahead and do it. Siri, on the other hand, would make you ask those questions one at a time and then kick you over to OpenTable and Fandango to make your purchases. ....  " 


(UPdate) And more detail on Viv in Engadget.

Intelligent Personal Assistants

At today's CSIG meeting Jim Spohrer pointed us to the growth of the intelligent personal assistant,  aka VDA,  and that the Wikipedia article on the topic had a good list and links to work under underway.   The article contains much more.   The idea continues to grow.   Items marked with a * have been covered here.  Here is the list:

(This post is NOW continually updated with new links, hundreds of posts)

*Accenture's MyWizard'
*Accenture's Amelia
*Alibaba Tmall Genie
*Alibaba using AliGenie 
Braina
*Microsoft's 'Cortana'
*Microsoft's 'Invoke'  With Harman-Kardon Using Cortana
*Microsoft Home Hub
*Enterra Aila
*Amazon Echo
*Amazon Show   Amazon Echo with screen
*Google's 'Google Now'
HTC's 'Hidi'
Maluuba Inc's 'Maluuba'
*Cognitive Code's 'SILVIA'
*Cisco's Spark Conferencing Assistant
*Apple's 'Siri'
*Apple's HomePod
*IBM Watson Analytics
*IBM Watson Assistant
*Wolfram Finance
*Wolfram Alpha
Nuance's 'Vlingo'
*Samsung's 'S Voice'
*Samsung's Otto
*Samsung's Bixby  (S8 Phone Assistant)
*BlackBerry's 'BlackBerry Assistant'
*LG's 'Voice Mate'
*LG's Hub Robot
*Baidu's Duer.
*Baidu's Little Fish
*Pepper Retail Robot by Softbank
* Facebook M
*Mattel Aristotle by Nabi  (Baby Monitor)
*Jill Watson  - TA at Ga Tech
*Mycroft
*Kasisto Financial Assistant
*Kuri by Bosch
*Ginger by Intel  (unknown since its acquisition)
*Otto by Samsung
*Viv by Viv Labs
*Google Home   by Google
*Google Assistant by Google
*DingDong by LingLong
*Einstein by Salesforce (links to current collaboration with Oracle?)
*Project Evo by Microsoft
*Connie by Hilton/IBM
*Smart Assistant by Lenovo
*SoundHound for Hyundai
*Essential Home


See also Virtual Personal Assistants.  In Wikipedia.