The Google Assistant is now bilingual, and is on its way to a lot more smart devices.

The voice-controlled AI assistant’s bilingualism represents an industry first. All the major virtual assistants, including Google Assistant, already supported multiple languages; but this is the first time that such a platform is able to fluently switch between two languages on the fly and without any need for the user to change settings. Any pair of languages between English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Japanese can be used, and Google says it’s working to expand this capability to include more languages going forward.

The development offers the latest illustration of major tech companies’ intensifying investments in AI R&D, with Google and its rivals racing to make sure that their virtual assistants in particular are at the cutting edge of technological sophistication.

Meanwhile, the growing prominence of conversational AI in everyday life can be seen in the many forthcoming smart device integrations that Google announced for its platform at the IFA 2018 trade show. The Google Assistant is coming to new smart speakers from Bang & Olufsen, Blaupunkt, Harman Kardon, and more; new smart displays from JBL and LG; new headphones from JBL, Sony, LG, and Earin; and a number of other smart home gadgets including thermostats, security cameras, ovens, and lights.

It all points to a substantial and growing ecosystem for Google’s AI technology, and the rise of much more talkative households – even bilingual ones.

Source: The Keyword