At this point, smartphone users know that AI assistance can help them find a range of information. But what separates one system from another is just how well it can answer and understand a question. The makers behind Siri want to push these possibilities with a new artificial intelligence platform called Viv.
According to The Verge, Dag Kittlaus and Adam Cheyer—the makers behind Siri—showed off Viv during Disrupt NYC. In a video of the demo, the capabilities of Viv are briefly highlighted. For starters, Viv gets asked what the weather is like (a common question for Siri). Then, the system is asked whether it rained in Seattle three Thursdays ago. The system pulls up weather information for that exact date.
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Siri, on the other hand, can’t seem to find this information when asked (this writer got the answer “sorry, eva, I can’t get past the weather information”).
The demo also shows the ability of the system to adapt to natural language patterns and offers more information than the average Google search. The questions get more complicated; at one point Viv is asked whether it will be warm near the Golden Gate Bridge in the evening two days from the present. Viv, once again, pulls up weather information for that exact date.
Self-described as “an artificial intelligence platform that enables developers to distribute their products through an intelligent, conversational interface,” Viv reportedly “learns every day.”
Ultimately, it will be up to developers to see just how far they can push the capabilities of Viv—and how the system can compete with Siri.
This article was written by Eva Recinos from PSFK and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
