Why PR pros can’t ignore the AI assistant

Today nearly one in five U.S. adults has access to a smart speaker.

That’s a growth of 43.7 million users in just two years, and the technology in these smart speakers continues to develop and become more sophisticated, specifically with the ways in which consumers interact with artificial intelligence assistants like Alexa, Echo, Google Home, Siri and Cortana.

The rise of AI Assistants will change the way consumers interact with any organization in the near future. Rather than consumers shopping for new products (such as going to a store or looking online for a new pair of shoes), customers are asking their preferred AI Assistant to search for new shoes. Based on the recommendation they receive (because the AI Assistant knows consumer likes and dislikes based on purchase history and other data), the consumer decides which shoes to buy.

This shift means that consumers will become more loyal to their AI Assistant to handle everything from recommending purchases and ordering online to booking appointments and managing a calendar, rather than being loyal to a particular brand.