This new survey of UK users shows we might need to get more imaginative
What do you actually use Alexa for? Chances are it’s for a few, simple day-to-day tasks like playing music, getting news and setting timers.
That’s according to a new survey of 1,000 people in the UK by OnePoll and marketing agency Code Computerlove. While 25% of people say they talk to their voice assistant everyday, another 30% say they forget they have a smart speaker in the house. Of the 1,000 people, 70% owned an Amazon Echo/Alexa device making it the most popular choice.
Read this: Amazon Alexa missing manual
The respondents were also asked what they use voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant for – the survey found that over half of the requests we make are related to news and weather.
One in five people say they use it for setting egg timers and the same number want AI assistants to help them tell great jokes. Also, 15% of people use voice assistants to entertain their children – gotta love those animal sounds. And a quarter of users have their smart speaker in the bedroom.
More worrying for Amazon – a whopping 80% of people asked say they are worried that voice assistants are covertly monitoring our conversations i.e. unauthorised 24/7 recording not just when the wake word is detected.
All in all, it shows that many exciting Alexa and Google Assistant – particularly controlling smart devices – may not get as much use as they deserve. Though we don’t know what specific questions the survey asks which can always be an issue when determining results. Check out our smart home how-to’s below for how to get the most out of your voice controlled home.
