Google Assistant Will Be Funny: Onion And Pixar Writers Onboard

In a world where artificial intelligence is becoming more commonplace in everyday life, there seems to be a bit of a push to give these AI companions a little personality. Whether it's acting awkward at the mention of a dirty word or delivering a quip when given a compliment, AI like Siri, Cortana, and Alexa are already capable of engaging in something resembling a conversation, but Google is looking to take that one step further with Google Assistant.

According to a Wall Street Journal write-up, Google has brought in writers from Pixar and The Onion to work on Google Assistant. Their job? Give the Assistant a personality that stands out from the rest. Obviously, Google Assistant won't be able to understand and hold an actual conversation since it isn't true artificial intelligence, but with some crafty writing and Google's immense search database, the company stands a pretty good shot at turning Assistant into something that people want to talk to.

Since Google Assistant is a fairly big cornerstone of the company's incoming Pixel phones, that could be a big deal. If these writers can infuse Assistant with a deeper understanding of things like inflection and humor, that could go a long way toward encouraging a more personal connection with Assistant, even though the fact remains that at the end of the day, it's just another machine delivering scripted responses to user queries.

It'll be interesting how users interact with Google Assistant, which is also at the center of Google Home. Google's Pixel and Pixel XL phones will be launching later this month, and both devices will be available from Verizon stores and through Google's online store.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal