Google Assistant wants to talk to you like a friend—and call in your dinner reservation

Google Assistant may have debuted as a bonus feature in the company’s ho-hum Allo messaging app, but it’s been on a roll ever since. The AI helper is now embedded in more than 500 million devices worldwide, Google revealed Tuesday during its annual I/O developer conference keynote. The company is rolling out new features and products to make Assistant more helpful no matter what sort of device you use—and to keep pace with Amazon Echo’s fast and furious improvements.And get this: In the future, Google Assistant will even call local businesses to book appointments for you.It’s true. Google’s machine learning chops have advanced far enough that you’ll be able to ask Assistant to schedule an appointment for you at a business that can’t be easily booked online, and Google’s big brains in the sky will actually ring local shops to set up a reservation.To read this article in full, please click here Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2018-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #google assistant #bonus feature #amazon echo #book appointments

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Why do so many people still love Friends? | Zoe Williams

The 90s were a decade of carefree optimism and comically low stakes. Matthew Perry’s death brings us crashing back into the now In 2004, the author Damian Barr published Get It Together: Surviving Your Quartlerlife Crisis. Barr would go on to write poignant and beautiful books (including the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-10-30 18:37:24 UTC ]
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A Black Father Illustrated the Importance of “The Talk” in His Graphic Memoir

Darrin Bell didn’t set out to write his much anticipated graphic memoir, The Talk. He’d initially sold another project delving into the lives of three generations of men in his family, all descendants of an enslaved man named Addison Bell, in a two book deal to Henry Holt and Co. But as he was... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-10-30 11:00:00 UTC ]
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BuzzFeed in Advanced Talks to Sell Complex, Backtracking on Digital Media Bet

BuzzFeed is negotiating a sale of much of Complex Networks for under $140 million, less than half of what it paid to acquire it two years ago. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-27 16:26:21 UTC ]
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Why this AI pioneer is calling for 'human centered' computing

Fei-Fei Li, author of 'The Worlds I See' and co-director of Stanford's Human-Centered AI Institute, joins the L.A. Times Book Club Nov. 14. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-20 14:00:28 UTC ]
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Help! Is It Okay to Ghost A Friend?

Jenée Desmond-Harris is joined by best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Opinions, Roxane Gay. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-10-20 09:00:00 UTC ]
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‘The potential to undermine democracy’: European publishing trade bodies call for action on generative AI

Three organisations argue that more transparency is needed after research found AI models have been trained using pirated works by authors such as Zadie Smith and Stephen KingThree major European publishing trade bodies have urged the EU to “act now” on transparency over artificial intelligence... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-10-19 13:53:46 UTC ]
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We Don't Talk About Harry Potter

In her essay for PW, author Dhonielle Clayton reflects on the perils of publishing a diverse magic school series in the shadow of Harry Potter and its creator. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Teju Cole Talks About His New Novel, “Tremor”

“Tremor,” his first novel in over a decade, is set in Massachusetts and Lagos, and came from a desire to capture the last moments of a pre-Covid world. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-16 09:00:22 UTC ]
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Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion

United Kingdom regulators were effectively the last hurdle stopping Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard, in the biggest merger the video game industry has ever seen. That hurdle was cleared this morning as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority relented to adjusted terms.... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-10-13 14:10:14 UTC ]
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Authors join call for Baillie Gifford to divest from fossil fuel

More than 150 writers and industry professionals are asking the firm, which is a leading sponsor of UK literary festivals, to drop their investmentsMore than 150 authors and books industry professionals including Naomi Klein, Robert Macfarlane, Emma Dabiri and Geoff Dyer have signed a statement... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-10-13 11:35:41 UTC ]
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Talking AI at Frankfurt: A Look at Some of the Programming Ahead

The upcoming Frankfurter Buchmesse has programming looking at many aspects of artificial intelligence and related issues. The post Talking AI at Frankfurt: A Look at Some of the Programming Ahead appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-10 16:46:37 UTC ]
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‘I didn’t think it was possible to be a novelist’: Julian Barnes on literature, loss – and his late friend Martin Amis

The Booker winning author talks about how his most recent work was inspired by Hilary Mantel, and the way the books world has changed since his debut was published more than 40 years agoToo many people have been dying lately,” Julian Barnes reflects over the phone from his home in north London.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-16 08:00:25 UTC ]
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Media Briefing: Digiday Publishing Summit is approaching and media execs are ready to talk shop

DPS is right around the corner and as more ad revenue sneaks back into the market, publishing execs are looking for new ways to capture as many dollars as they can. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-14 04:01:00 UTC ]
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Sarah Young, ‘Jesus Calling’ Author, Dies at 77

Bestselling author Sarah Young, whose 2004 title 'Jesus Calling' is one of the most successful devotionals of all time, died on September 1. She was 77. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Society of Authors calls use of bad reviews for book blurbs ‘morally questionable’

After several critics complained of being quoted out of context on the covers of Jordan Peterson’s new book, the industry body has spoken out against the practiceThe Society of Authors (SoA) has spoken out against publishers misrepresenting negative reviews on book covers and the UK publisher... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-01 06:02:22 UTC ]
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‘Jesus Calling’ Author Sarah Young’s Health is ‘Rapidly Failing’

Sarah Young, author of ‘Jesus Calling—’one of the most successful devotionals of all time—is experiencing a health crisis, as confirmed by her publisher, Thomas Nelson. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former 'Friends' writer says the stars were unhappy and purposely tanked jokes they didn't like

A former "Friends" writer's new memoir details her experience on the show at a time when the stars seemed unhappy, and the writers room wasn't so friendly. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-25 01:20:03 UTC ]
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‘A tired old show’: Friends writer claims cast deliberately ruined jokes

Patty Lin says that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry and co forced rewrites of gags they didn’t like by performing them badlyFriends may have been a worldwide smash hit that made megastars of its cast, but – according to one of its writers – the actors weren’t always trying their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-24 10:34:01 UTC ]
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'Friday Night Lights' Author Torches ChatGPT-Assisted Iowa Book Ban

H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger said whoever decided to use the software to pull his book from the Mason City school district is a "complete idiot." Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2023-08-18 15:13:40 UTC ]
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Google says AI systems should be able to mine publishers’ work unless companies opt out

The tech company’s latest proposal about generative AI turns copyright law on its head, and could especially hurt smaller content creators, say expertsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastPublishers should... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-08 23:00:40 UTC ]
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