Google’s much-lauded voice control interface Google Assistant is about to be fully embedded in our local environment, with an upcoming software update that will help its artificial intelligence comprehend Singaporean English. Complete with all the lahs and shiok you can throw at it.
With the update, the search giant is asking its Singaporean customer base to start using the virtual voice assistant daily. Google Assistant will be available for the Singaporean accent, improving its voice recognition and providing locally relevant information, which means you’ll no longer have to put on an exaggerated Western voice when trying to access it.
Noting that Singaporeans are avid smartphone users, Google Singapore country director Stephanie Davis hopes the feature will make life easier for everyday Singaporeans.
“With this latest update to the Google Assistant, we hope to help more Singaporeans get things done quickly on their phones — take a selfie, get directions from Google Maps, find your photos, get help with translation and more,” she stated in a press conference this morning.
The demos showcased (and personally tested by Coconuts Singapore) earlier today of Google Assistant’s Singlish comprehension is pretty impressive, with the virtual assistant recognizing Singaporean accents without the usual misheard words and phrases. According to Google, their voice recognition will get even easier and faster due to machine learning and natural language understanding that will get better over time.
The update will also mean that Google Assistant will also support queries that require local context. One can ask Google Assistant to search for POSB ATMs and 7-Elevens nearby or find directions to Mustafa Centre for example.
With the update, Google has essentially one-upped Apple’s voice control interface Siri — which is already considered by tech reviewers to be clunkier and less fun to use than Google Assistant. The update will be rolled out over the next couple of weeks to Android smartphones operating on 6.0 Marshmallow and above, and will even be available on iPhones (eventually).
Of course, if you’re planning to get the Pixel 2 XL when it goes on sale here from Nov 15 onwards, the Singaporean-ized Google Assistant will already be inbuilt. The unfortunate part is that you’ll have to be locked into a contract with Singtel, the exclusive retailers for Google’s latest flagship phone.
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