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Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

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Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#71
So the value in AI startups is basically the number of ML/AI scientists you have times X million/scientist these days (perhaps multiplied by some sort of factor that measures the promise of your usually-not-working product).

Given this, wouldn't it make sense for AI/ML people to form a guild and/or union and capture this value themselves, rather than let smooth-talking founders take all the cash?

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not talking about the content. Talking about the user experience. It does suck, and I'm not even an Apple hater. I have given up on using the default map for searching anything. Of course the map content itself is the same, but what good is a mobile map if you search for a coffee shop around you in New York and it gives you some grocery store in Scandinavia? I would be forgiving if this happened rarely, but to me…

And I ask Google Maps to direct me home and it points me at Home Depot. Frankly both Apple Maps and Google Maps could stand some UI improvements. Google Maps won't shut up, throws up some bizarre progress bar even on mute, has mystery meat navigation, and replaces the map with some giant material design-style empty space when it decides I've "arrived" (even if I haven't). Apple Maps used to make it hard to pan around…

> And I ask Google Maps to direct me home and it points me at Home Depot

On iOS? You can tell Google your home/work addresses in settings, I ask for directions/transit home multiple times most weeks and it works. On Android they can figure them out, but on iOS they don't have enough permissions and you'll have to tell them - but when you do this works.

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While this is a war of anecdotes, I can safely say this has never happened to me. If I search for coffee shops around me, I see...coffee shops around me. The new redesign of maps for iOS 10 has -- at least to me -- a much better UX than the current Google Maps app does, also.

To pile on: all of you guys reside in the US. Google Maps its data is much more up to date compared to Apple Maps in most of the world. Navigating in SE-Asia with Gmaps is a breeze. Apple Maps constantly sent me to places, only to have the current address owner (and Google Maps) tell me that the business I was searching for moved. Same in Europe. Doesn't hurt that Google Maps has public transit integrated pretty much…

I just checked, Apple can't find me transit directions from my city (a single one stop train ride from London) and a major London train/tube station. Nor can it find me bus directions around my city. I don't remember when Google added this stuff, 5+ years ago?

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#74
post #56
post #37

The AI platform that wins won't necessarily be the one that provides the most utility. It'll be the one that people bond with emotionally. I'm not talking about you here- I'm talking about teenage girls with self esteem issues, recently landed immigrants working as night janitors, divorcees with drinking problems, and anyone else who needs a friend. It's a technical challenge now, but in a few years making a good AI…

During Google's hardware/AI Assistant a point was made about wanting google assistant to emote based on context and be personal to the user, 'A personal google for everyone. This plays to your suggestion of emotional bonding being a key need for AI assistant's. Though having it called 'Google assistant' seems to break that connection, though imagine something is in the pipeline being tested and analysed over and over…

It was hilarious, especially seeing as we've had some interest from google regarding our device that we believe everyone will live and grow with. I envision a world where people will be born with their AI companions that will learn who they are and help them grow in the best ways. :)

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#75

I wonder if this is part of a move by Samsung to move off of Android? In some ways that would be a shame - the only phones I have owned are Samsung Android phones, love them. Still, Samsung is large enough to build and maintain their own stack.

They've been maintaining their own set of apps that mirror Google apps on Android for a long time.

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While this is a war of anecdotes, I can safely say this has never happened to me. If I search for coffee shops around me, I see...coffee shops around me. The new redesign of maps for iOS 10 has -- at least to me -- a much better UX than the current Google Maps app does, also.

To pile on: all of you guys reside in the US. Google Maps its data is much more up to date compared to Apple Maps in most of the world. Navigating in SE-Asia with Gmaps is a breeze. Apple Maps constantly sent me to places, only to have the current address owner (and Google Maps) tell me that the business I was searching for moved. Same in Europe. Doesn't hurt that Google Maps has public transit integrated pretty much…

On the other hand in Tajikistan Google Maps is beyond awful, even in Dushanbe. It regularly placed pins kilometres from real location. Openstreetmap on the other hand was mostly fine.

All of them are far from perfect, but vastly better than what we had before.

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google ... forbids OEMs ... from supporting competing digital assistants. ~Wow, that kinda makes all the ire — including the comments on this page — directed towards Apple for its "walled garden" and "not allowing choice" seem a bit unfair.~

The end-user can still install them.

That's not the point. Default is king.

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#78
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Siri has been getting better ever since its release. Have you used it in iOS 10? It now has 3rd party integration with Uber and Lyft, Venmo, and many other apps. Its reliability and usability have drastically improved since Siri 1.0 on the iPhone 4S.

No integration with the apps i care about: spotify, google maps, gmail and many others.

Isn't that on Spotify and Google to implement?

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No integration with the apps i care about: spotify, google maps, gmail and many others.

Isn't that on Spotify and Google to implement?

You have a whitelist of possible domains though (Messaging and payments being the most common for now)

Re: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by creators of Apple’s Siri

#80

Unfortunately I think it's pretty obvious why they were acquired, so 99% skeptical of their future. They were probably acquired because: 1. They realized just owning the software platform is very limiting (For example they can't compete with Apple no matter how good they are. Just look at Google maps. Thousand times better than the default Apple maps but will never be #1 map app on iOS because people always choose th…

> Also, now even Google is moving towards owning their own hardware platform Microsoft is also taking the same approach with Surface tablets, Surface books and upcoming Surface phones

Sadly, Microsoft threw in the towel in the consumer space, and is now in enterprise-milking mode. Just look at the wording on the products.

They've been actively chasing away customers. Google is giving unlimited photo storage to Pixel phone buyers. Last year Microsoft took back the 15 GB it had given to Lumia phone buyers.

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