Amazon Alexa’s will soon be able to tell if someone is sick based on the change in their voice. Its partnership with UK’s National Health Service allows the smart device to diagnose medical symptoms and provide remedial suggestions. Its ability to intake the most minuscule voice changes can tell someone’s emotional states like anger, crying, or boredom. Once the emotional data is received, Alexa can layer it with demographic data to give an appropriate response such as telling a joke or a suggestion of products to order. This new patent will be a bigger improvement in voice detection to what Alexa is already rolling out. The new features, Whisper Mode, changes Alexa’s volume to accommodate to a quiet environment just from intaking the background noise, and Alexa Guard, recognizes safety disrupting sounds such as smoke alarms and glass breaking.
While this patent was recently passed and still needs time to roll out in the marketplace, this advance humanizes AI’s and lessens the gap from a human assistant. Amazon is beginning to pave way to tap into understanding human emotions by saying “If your voice sounds shaky, then you are sad”.
Of course, there will be misunderstood signs and error as the machines learns, but this is truly exciting and groundbreaking, especially as this will add a new layer to sharpen Amazon’s first party data. It’s only a matter of time until Amazon opens the pool to advertisers to take advantage of key behavioral moments. Alexa is already suggesting medicines or recipe for chicken soup, so pharma brands have a space to target those who need a cough drop or cold medicine and have them delivered within the same day through Amazon’s delivery system. But looking further, Amazon’s ability to identify exactly what the user needs based on their emotional triggers will open up endless possibilities for brands to present their products right when they need it.
Person (voice with less energy; around lunch time): What are some food options around here?
Alexa: Are you feeling hungry? Would you like a Buttery Jack from Jack in the Box meal delivered to you?
Jack's Snack Bites 