Digital Assistant

A Digital Assistant is an assistant that is a digital agent and can perform digital assistant tasks.

• AKA: Bot, Software-based Virtual Assistant.

• Context:
  • It can range from being a Personal Digital Assistant to being a Work-Use Digital Assistant.
  • It can range from being a Rule-based Digital Assistant to being an Intelligent Digital Assistant.
  • It can range from being an Online Digital Assistant to being an Offline Digital Assistant.
  • It can (often) be a Digital Assistant Service.
  • …

• Example(s):
  • Digital Assistant Services, such as: IPSoft's Amelia, Conversica's Assistant, ...
  • …

• Counter-Example(s):
  • a Human Assistant, such as a Human Nurse.
• See: Home Robot.

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References

2020

• (Wikipedia, 2020) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_assistant Retrieved:2020-12-21.
  • An intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) or intelligent personal assistant (IPA) is a software agent that can perform tasks or services for an individual based on commands or questions. Sometimes the term “chatbot” is used to refer to virtual assistants generally or specifically accessed by online chat. In some cases, online chat programs are exclusively for entertainment purposes. Some virtual assistants are able to interpret human speech and respond via synthesized voices. Users can ask their assistants questions, control home automation devices and media playback via voice, and manage other basic tasks such as email, to-do lists, and calendars with verbal (spoken?) commands. A similar concept, however with differences, lays under the dialogue systems. As of 2017, the capabilities and usage of virtual assistants are expanding rapidly, with new products entering the market and a strong emphasis on both email and voice user interfaces. Apple and Google have large installed bases of users on smartphones. Microsoft has a large installed base of Windows-based personal computers, smartphones and smart speakers. Amazon has a large install base for smart speakers. Conversica has over 100 million engagements via its email and sms interface Intelligent Virtual Assistants for business.

2015

• https://hbr.org/2015/12/8-tech-trends-to-watch-in-2016
  • QUOTE: Software applications that run automated tasks are called “bots.” 2016 will bring a host of creative bots that will supercharge our productivity, keep us company, and help us track what others are doing. What’s new: you’ll have the opportunity to use and program them yourself. … Bots do more than offer conversation. News organizations will soon use bots to sort and tag articles in real time. We’ll see advanced bots manipulating social media and stocks simultaneously. The intelligence community might deploy bots for surveillance and for digital diplomacy. HR managers can use bots to train employees. Meantime, as Slack continues to grow in scale and popularity, bots within that environment will help automate meetings and status updates and so on, saving time and increasing productivity.

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