Thinknum:
What does Siri really know about sports, the weather, and stock? Not too much, and that’s a problem for Apple. There’s nothing worse than asking a digital assistant the score of a game only to get a wooden answer that you could have Googled in half the time.
Well, no. I would definitely be more than happy with a wooden, but correct, answer. But that aside:
Based on hiring data tracked over the past few months, Apple appears to know this. That’s why the company is hiring writers and engineers with a focus on particular subject matters to help make Siri more interesting and enticing to use.
I think that last little bit is on the mark. Apple wants Siri to be more interesting and entertaining. And, I think, more human.
The new positions suggest that the company is putting together subject-focused teams of both engineers and writers to not just improve Siri’s knowledge base, but do so in a way that’s editorial and entertaining with a particular voice.
No matter the reasons, good to see Apple’s Siri hires trending upwards. Interesting article.
Here come the idioms.
The linked article headline is poor and clickbait. All the hires aren’t to do with “fun” and “witty” Siri, just the creative writer role, and the role description doesn’t talk about making Siri “more” fun and witty, just writing in line with what Siri’s already known for. Geez.
Yeah, I would be very happy with real results and not the targeted placement crap on the first 10 pages of a Google search.
If you want to appreciate Siri again, try using Alexa for a while. I picked up an Echo Dot to do some contract skill development, and hoo boy, I haven’t been this frustrated by voice assistants for *years*.