Google is rolling out exciting updates designed to enhance Assistant’s ability to handle challenging names and better understand the context of your conversations.
First, users will soon be able to teach Assistant how to pronounce their contacts' names—similar to how you can already guide it in pronouncing your own name. With this feature, Assistant will listen to your pronunciation and commit it to memory without retaining any recorded data. Initially, this feature will be available in English, with plans to expand to additional languages in the future. To try it out, simply tap the “Record your own” option under the contact setting in Assistant’s menu once the update is on your device.
Additionally, Google is improving Assistant's functionality for setting timers. The company has completely revamped the AI's natural language understanding models to interpret context more accurately. By incorporating Google's BERT technology, Assistant can process language holistically rather than word-by-word. As a result, Google claims Assistant can respond nearly 100 percent accurately to alarms and timer requests. This means you can change your thoughts mid-sentence, and Assistant will seamlessly follow along. This feature is currently available for Assistant-enabled smart speakers in the U.S., with upcoming availability on phones and smart displays.
Finally, Google is leveraging BERT technology to enhance Assistant’s contextual awareness further. For example, if you start a conversation about Miami and then ask for the best beaches, Assistant will recognize that you're referring to beaches in Miami. It will also understand queries related to items displayed on your phone or smart display. These improvements aim to create a more natural and intuitive conversational experience with Assistant.