Google introduced the next-generation Google assistant during this year’s Google I/O 2019 developers conference. Google is touting that this improved version will be much faster with significant performance improvements.
It’s no doubt that Google Assistant is currently the fastest and most accurate AI assistant in the tech industry. The fact that the current version of Google Assistant is already years ahead of its competitors speaks volumes of Google’s success in this department. Google correspondents during the keynote claimed that the Google Assistant will now process and understand voice requests and deliver the results ten times faster than its current iteration.
Running on-device and coming to new Pixel phones later this year, the next generation Google Assistant can understand and process your requests up to 10 times faster, making operating your phone, multi-tasking and even composing email easier than ever. #io19 pic.twitter.com/iNPpOvwDM2
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
According to Google, the main reason for the dramatic increase in performance in their AI assistant is “condensing the AI models used to interpret speech down to a half a gigabyte, which is small enough for them to process directly on a smartphone instead of requiring remote servers.”
During a brief video, some Google correspondents demonstrated multiple requests in rapid successions using Google Assistant. Impressively, a user will be able to open apps, set timers, reply to texts, activate the flashlight, browse Google Photos, get a car from a ride-sharing service and do other typical Google Assistant things with minimal wait time or the need to say “Hey Google!” at any point in between.
“By putting these AI models right onto your phone, we’re envisioning a paradigm shift,” said Google’s Scott Huffman onstage. “This next-generation assistant will let you instantly operate your phone with your voice, multitask across apps, [and] will even work offline.”
Furthermore, another demo showcased Google Assistant’s ability to compose and send emails entirely through voice commands. This includes knowing when the user is asking to title the subject line, an unprecedented feat by an AI assistant. Google did not relay any more details about the new capabilities of the voice assistant, and according to the keynote, this new version of Google Assistant will first hit the Pixel devices.
