Investigating Alexa

By: Vanessa Sturtevant

             After a brief glimpse into Amazon’s Alexa, we can confidently say that Alexa will not be at the head of the robot revolution. Though she’s a very complex and innovative digital assistant, we use her for the simplest tasks. Even then, Alexa can’t be accurate enough with the information she gives us and is highly limited in the actions she can take. 
           I know that when I’m busy, I rely on Siri to text people. Siri can also call the police when I’m in danger. Alexa can only do one of these things according to “7 shocking things Alexa still can’t do on your Amazon Echo” by Katie Connor. Your Amazon Alexa is unable to call the police should you be in danger. When she can call the police, then I’ll worry a little about her contacting big cooperate A.I.s.
         However, Alexa can make up for her shortcomings by making your house a dream. By being able to create a routine and comforting environment, she can turn your house into a home. Your Amazon Alexa can set moods with lighting and even music according to Amazon. Alexa can access your consoles and several other services.
          When we add up all of Alexa’s features, she seems adequate. Now, what if I tell you she’s less accurate than a Google Assistant? In order to rank a website you’ve created, Alexa ranks it against other sites according to “Alexa Rank: Everything You Need to Know About It” by Matteo Duo. These Alexa rankings aren’t accurate when compared to the Google Assistant’s numbers.
          Our technology is advancing, yes, but our digital assistants that we use day-to-day are not advanced enough to be a real threat, especially with the limitations they have.