Amazon is changing some #privacy features for Alexa-powered Echo devices today. It's part of a broader move to seek #ROI on its investment in #VoiceAssistants and in broader generative #AI capabilities - through #PlatformCapitalism.

My latest for @theconversationau with thanks to Michael Lucy for his work in editing.

https://theconversation.com/everything-you-say-to-an-alexa-speaker-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-today-252923

Amazon to Send Echo Alexa Conversations to Its Servers Starting March 28

#Amazon #Alexa #AlexaPlus #AmazonEcho #VoiceAssistants #AI #SmartHome #Privacy #AIPrivacy #DataPrivacy #Echo #AIassistant

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/03/15/amazon-to-send-echo-conversations-to-its-servers-starting-march-28-xcxwbn/

Google has announced the transition from Google Assistant to Gemini AI on Android devices

#AI #Google #GenAI #GeminiAI #GoogleAssistant #Android #VoiceAssistants #AIAssistants #GoogleGemini #GoogleUpdate #Alphabet

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/03/15/google-gemini-replaces-google-assistant-on-android-devices-xcxwbn/

Apple has confirmed that its AI-powered Siri overhaul has been delayed until 2026

#AI #Siri #Apple #VoiceAssistants #AmazonAlexa #GoogleGemini #AIassistants #AppleIntelligence #MachineLearning #BigTech

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/03/07/apple-delays-siris-ai-overhaul-again-as-amazon-and-google-gain-ground-xcxwbn/

Sesame AI’s Voice Demo Is So Realistic That People Are Getting Uncomfortable

#AI #VoiceAI #Deepfake #AIethics #AIvoice #AIspeech #VoiceAssistants #SesameAI

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/03/05/sesame-ais-voice-demo-is-so-realistic-that-people-are-getting-uncomfortable-xcxwbn/

The Verge: Sesame is the first voice assistant I’ve ever wanted to talk to more than once. “…speaking to ‘Maya,’ one of two voices from a new startup headed by the man who built Oculus VR and sold it to Facebook, is the first time I’ve been left wanting more. Like I could just talk to it, or at least play a genuinely fun game of testing its limits, like I did with Bing before Microsoft […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/03/04/the-verge-sesame-is-the-first-voice-assistant-ive-ever-wanted-to-talk-to-more-than-once/

Google has introduced live video and on-screen query capabilities for its Gemini Live AI assistant

#AI #Google #GoogleAI #GoogleGemini #MWC2025 #MachineLearning #Android #MultimodalAI #VoiceAssistants

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/03/03/google-gemini-live-can-now-respond-based-on-whats-on-your-screen-or-in-front-of-you-xcxwbn/

Amazon has launched Alexa+, a paid upgrade to its voice assistant with AI-powered automation features

#AI #Amazon #AlexaPlus #AmazonAlexa #VoiceAssistants #AIAssistants

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/02/26/amazon-announces-alexa-with-smarter-ai-paid-subscription-model-xcxwbn/

OpenAI Makes ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode Free For all Users, But There’s a Catch

#ChatGPT #AI #VoiceAI #OpenAI #AIassistants #GenAI #VoiceAssistants #GPT-4o-mini #ChatGPTFree

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/02/26/openai-makes-chatgpts-advanced-voice-mode-free-for-all-users-but-theres-a-catch-xcxwbn/

Grok’s New AI Voice Mode Lets It Swear, Scream, Insult, and Have Explicit Conversations

#AI #ElonMusk #xAI #Grok #VoiceAssistants #GrokVoiceMode #GrokUnhinged #GenAI #Chatbots

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/02/26/groks-ai-new-voice-mode-lets-it-swear-scream-insult-and-have-explicit-conversations-xcxwbn/

Amazon’s big dreams for Alexa fall short

https://arstechnica.com/?p=1921940

#voiceassistants #Amazon #alexa #Tech #AI

Google Assistant Gets Parental Controls, New Voices, and a Kids’ Dictionary

https://www.wired.com/story/google-assistant-parental-controls-kid-friendly-features/

#Gear/Products/SmartHome #Gear/GearNewsandEvents #virtualassistant #voiceassistants #smarthome #parenting #children #ANewAge #Google #Gear #kids