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The use of virtual digital assistants is not limited to the corporate sector but is widely used in private lives. AI-based digital assistants are being in the field since 1966. Joseph Weizenbaum, a well-known German American computer scientist, and Professor has been well known as ELIZA.
Well-known companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Google, and Amazon are also working on the concept for a long decade. The current scenario is predicting the success of AI chatbots. Slack or Microsoft Teams are some of the examples of futuristic AI virtual digital assistant applications in Austria.
As per Tractica, the forecasted sales of virtual digital assistants in Austria in 2021 were 11,860.6 million USD. A survey conducted by IAB Austria and Integral in 2017 shows that 30% of the male in Austria uses digital assistants as compared to 25% of male.
The survey also shows that in Austria, Teenage people are more into digital assistant and around 94% of teenager are well aware of digital assistant whereas people above 60 years hardly uses digital assistants. But more than 50% of them are aware of the technology.
The use of digital assistants has been seen in universities, self-employed professionals, Non-Executives, Executives or Retired.
The survey, shows whether the virtual digital assistant is well-known in Austria? Around 84% of males and 81% of females are aware of the latest technology. The gap is very less and shows that Austrian females are very much with the latest technologies.
The most well-known digital assistants used in Austria in 2017 are Siri(Apple), and Alexa (Amazon Echo). The other players present in the market but not such a huge success are Google Assistant/Hey Google/Google Home, Cortana (Microsoft), Tinka (T-Mobile), and Bixby (Samsung).
The most functions used by the digital assistants are:- listening to music, asking questions about weather reports/sports results/ trivia, audiobooks/radio stations/news, setting an alarm clock or timer, controlling compatible devices such as lights, thermostats.
It can be used for information purposes on retail goods such as prices, availability, managing shopping lists, or making calls.
The AI-based virtual digital assistants even though considered to be one of the helpful aid with significant benefits it is also considered to be a threat. As per Google AI Blog, 2018, an AI-based digital assistant Duplex by Google led a debate. The human likeness of the chatbot was considered to be a potential threat of deception and fraud
In my opinion, any new technology if you are aiming for perfection can create an environment of a threat-like situation. But should not be seen as a danger that can not be helped. The chatbots are helpful not just for business or corporate affairs. But also for domestic or private uses for physically disabled people.
The scenario in Austria shows the acceptance of the latest technology and very much awareness of it.