9Feb-April 2021Smart Assistants are on a similar adoption curve. Just as smartphone usage exploded with the app store, voice will explode as more and more skills become available. Already there are tens of thousands of Alexa skills. Natural Language will be at the forefront of the truly connected commerce experience. Here are three trends all companies need to consider as they look toward the future: Ambient computing Ambient, or ubiquitous, computing supports a vision of interactivity that is not tied to a particular device. Voice is the prime entry point, liberating consumers from tasks such as unlocking the device, opening an app or typing in passwords and URLs. It's already possible to simply ask Alexa not only how to reorder your preferred product, but to do things such as play your favorite song or newscast, or set an alarm or timer. For example, if you use Amazon Pay to buy yarn a local knitting shop, that transaction history is available in your account. Soon, if you're home knitting and realize you are going to need more yarn to complete the project, you will simply ask Alexa to reorder the same yarn and ship it to you. You won't even need to put down your knitting needles.Voice commerce will have truly arrived when it has eliminated our reliance upon specific channels. Digital services will be pervasive and accessible everywhere. Companies need to think about how they can enable these kinds of experiences.Engagement in the momentThe beauty of VUIs tied to ambient computing is that they allow people to take action in the moment, the instant it occurs to them. Whether it's adding lemons to the weekly shopping list or making donation to support those impacted by a natural disaster as you watch the news. It's not a replacement for mobile or the web. It's a net new way of engaging.When using devices that are voice first, you don't have visuals to refer to like you do when using a laptop or mobile phone. Information has to be presented conversationally. Script writing takes the place of navigational design; clarifying questions take the place of menus. Rather than guiding users through a series of prompts and form fills, VUIs have to be responsive to a wide range of intents and efficiently guide customers to a mutually desirable outcome.Consider how your offering might lend itself to engagement in different contexts. It doesn't necessarily have to be a commercial transaction. For example, Tide has built a skill that lets you ask Alexa how to remove a stain. Alexa will ask you what kind of stain and based on your answer provide the appropriate instructions, which are also sent to the Alexa app should you need to read them. Simple UX, sophisticated AI Unlike using a browser, an app, or a device, the learning curve for a customer with a VUI is very fast. It's a conversational back and forth that brings us back to the simple days of asking your neighborhood retailer for the product or asking a friend for help with a task.The most natural voice interactions require the most sophisticated AI and machine learning. That elevates the importance of good, clean data and tech know how. Decades worth of data from shoppers and powerful cloud computing are at the core of our innovations in Natural Language Understanding, and we are actively working with companies of every size in every industry to help them leverage their data and our technology expertise. As Smart Assistant adoption grows, the amount of data the machines can learn from will fuel voice experiences that are ever more intuitive, useful, and delightful. Voice is already fundamentally improving the way people interact with technology, redefining the way people research and purchase, and changing user expectations yet again. It's a disruption, yes, but it filled with new opportunities. To capitalize on that opportunity, companies need to start learning, testing and building for tomorrow, today. CIOs have an important role to play in educating and guiding their businesses during this pivotal time, identifying the right solution to connect with an audience independent of devices, and building the teams and methods to create delightful experiences. Patrick Gauthier
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