If you're like us, you're always on the hunt for the latest and greatest AI-powered voice assistants. But you may sometimes get a bit dizzy regarding the number of offerings out there.
Well, buckle up because we're taking a deep dive into the 6 best AI voice assistants 2024 has to offer, saving you hours of hard work.
We’ll cover:
- What’s an AI voice assistant?
- What are the best AI voice assistants in 2024?
- What can you use AI voice assistants for? (And what aren’t they good at?)
- A detailed breakdown of the top 6 voice assistants
- Hey, are there any good free options out there?
Let’s start with a no-nonsense definition.
What is an AI voice assistant?
An AI voice assistant is a software program that uses voice recognition, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence to understand and respond to your spoken commands.
These days, AI voice assistants are everywhere. Chances are, you've got one in your pocket right now.
Smartphone assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have become our constant digital companions, always ready to answer questions, send messages, or play our favorite songs at the drop of a mic.
While early voice assistants were glorified chatbots, today's AI models are far more advanced. They can understand complex commands, access huge amounts of data, and even sound convincingly human.
Here’s how they handle your voice commands:
- Speech recognition: AI voice assistants use speech recognition to turn your spoken words into text. This involves analyzing the sound waves of your speech, breaking them down into phonemes, and predicting what was said using machine learning algorithms like the Hidden Markov Model.
- Natural language processing (NLP): Once your speech is transcribed, NLP helps the assistant interpret your request by understanding the structure and meaning behind the words. NLP focuses on intent recognition and extracting key information from your input.
- Machine learning and AI: These systems enable voice assistants to improve with each interaction. By learning from past interactions, they get better at recognizing patterns, understanding accents, and handling more complex requests.
The best AI voice assistants in 2024
In 2024, AI voice assistants are way more capable than their counterparts were just a year ago.
Now, you can chat with digital friends who actually understand you and can handle complex requests.
Here are the top contenders vying for the crown:
- Siri: The plain, ever-present Apple voice AI assistant ready to tackle everyday tasks with a touch of snark.
- Alexa: Amazon's answer engine turns homes into smart hubs, playing music, answering questions, and controlling your devices.
- Rabbit M1: The ultra-modern video chat device that bridges the distance, making remote movie nights and family gatherings feel immersive.
- Retell AI: Want to let your inner AI architect loose? Retell lets you build custom voice assistants tailored to your every whim.
- Braina from Brainasoft: A multitasking AI assistant that can recognize voice commands and even turn your PC into a voice-activated machine.
- Google Assistant: The go-to, the stalwart, the best AI assistant that’s present in pretty much any cellphone and device out there.
- Cortana: Looking for something that fits into the Microsoft ecosystem? Microsoft’s free-to-use answer to Google Assistant is a pretty solid option.
1. Siri: The original Apple mainstay
Siri's the original smartphone sass queen who's always ready to help (or at least give it her best shot).
If you're firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, she's your go-to for getting things done.
Here’s what Siri can do:
- Take your calls and send texts hands-free (keep your hands on that steering wheel!).
- Set alarms and reminders (so you don't end up an hour late to everything).
- Give you the latest news with a healthy dose of attitude, sports scores, and weather updates.
- Play your favorite tunes and podcasts from Apple Music (because who doesn't need a personal DJ?).
- Control your Apple-friendly smart home devices (if you're into that whole futuristic vibe).
Price: Siri comes free with your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple gear – no extra charge for the occasional side-eye.
2. Alexa: Amazon's answer to everything
Without a doubt, Alexa's the reigning queen of smart speakers, the brains behind the Amazon Echo empire.
She's got a skill for just about everything and she's constantly evolving, making her one of the most versatile AI voice assistants out there.
Here's what she brings to the table:
- Plays music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Spotify, and others (your house can be a party zone).
- Answers all your random questions (you can have it whisper the answers to you during trivia night!).
- Tells you the weather so you can dress accordingly (or not, some people like getting wet).
- Controls your smart home like a boss, turning lights on and off or locking doors with just a simple voice command.
- Helps you order groceries and shop on Amazon (dangerously convenient, but perfect for those lazy days when you don’t care about getting your steps in).
- Offers tons of fun skills, from guided meditations to silly games and interactive stories for kids.
Price: Alexa works best with an Amazon Echo device. Prices vary from around $40 to $200 for a single speaker with additional fees for a complete Smart Home system, depending on which models you choose.
3. Rabbit M1: Video chat, but cooler
A screen, speakers, and AI with a proprietary OS rolled into one — that's the Rabbit M1.
Rabbit is all about staying connected, making it the perfect AI voice assistant for long-distance loved ones or remote teams.
Here's what it does well:
- Primary interaction is through a "Push-to-Talk" button that activates the Rabbit OS for listening.
- The Rabbit R1 AI can handle tasks like booking rides, finding recipes, and answering trivia questions.
- Rabbit OS uses a Large Action Model (LAM) to perform actions directly on user interfaces, streamlining processes.
- LAM enables Rabbit AI to learn and replicate complex tasks by observing a user's actions, similar to a sophisticated macro.
- The rotating camera acts as a privacy feature, and can be used in conjunction with the AI for tasks like identifying objects or suggesting recipes based on refrigerator contents.
Price: The Rabbit M1 device currently costs $199.
4. Retell AI: Just build your own
Retell AI lets you create a custom AI assistant tailored to your specific wants and needs. This is the DIY route, offering maximum flexibility for those who love to tinker.
Retell brands itself as a “conversational voice API,” allowing you to talk to it as if to a real person.
Here's how it works:
- Design your assistant's personality and voice (make it as sassy or as serious as you like).
- Determine what tasks it can perform (from ordering takeout to automating work stuff).
- Integrate with your existing smart devices and services (this takes some coding know-how).
- Unleash your creation on the world (or, you know, just keep it for yourself and impress your friends).
Price: Retell AI has a free tier to get started, and then a pay-as-you-go model that’s $0.07/min for normal voices and up to $0.31/min maximum. Enterprise prices are as low as $0.03/min.
5. Braina: The multitasker
Braina (Brain Artificial) is a powerful AI assistant that rocks at both voice commands and productivity tasks. It's ideal for users looking for an assistant that can control their PC, search the web, and even dictate text hands-free.
Here’s what Braina can do:
- Execute tasks on your PC using voice commands, like launching apps, opening websites, and performing searches.
- Dictate text in over 100 languages, making it a versatile tool for note-taking or writing.
- Control smart devices and manage your smart home setup with ease.
- Help with calculations, search queries, and scheduling tasks, perfect for both personal and professional use.
Price: Braina has a free version, but to unlock its full feature set, the Pro version starts at $99/year, which includes better voice recognition and PC control features.
6. Google Assistant: The free multi-tasking solution
Google Assistant is your guy if you want speed, versatility, and total integration across Android devices. With Google’s massive knowledge base behind it, this assistant is always ready to lend a hand, whether you’re searching for info or controlling your smart home.
Here’s what Google Assistant can do:
- Set reminders, send texts, and place calls (just by saying “Hey Google”).
- Control your smart devices, like thermostats, lights, and speakers (Google Assistant can even sync with Nest devices).
- Pull up any information you need — weather updates, trivia, directions, or sports scores (Google knows it all).
- Translate languages in real-time (perfect for travelers or bilingual households).
- Play music, videos, and podcasts from your favorite apps (YouTube, Spotify, you name it).
Price: Google Assistant is free to use on Android devices and available as an app for iPhone users. If you don’t want to shell out cash, Google Assistant is always a pretty decent choice.
Some virtual assistant AI examples
What exactly can these digital assistants actually handle? You can have your AI virtual assistant handle plenty of boring, repetitive tasks.
Let’s take a closer at some examples of tasks they can handle:
- Set timers, reminders, and calendar events to keep you on track
- Organize and triage your inbox
- Summarize meetings
- Read you the news or daily summaries
- Control smart home devices like lights, thermostats, and speakers
- Find quick answers to everyday questions or search the web for information
- Dictate emails, take notes, and create to-do lists to boost your productivity
- Track your mood and offer companionship
- Play your favorite music, audiobooks, or podcasts
- Translate words and phrases into other languages
- Brainstorm ideas, get help with simple or professional writing tasks, and some can even generate creative artwork
Challenges with AI voice assistants
What they're not so good at (yet):
- Complex problem-solving: While they can tackle some tricky tasks, don't expect them to replace your strategic advisor outright. They still fail to understand simple commands and can mess up when tackling more complex stuff. Humans are still better at most jobs overall. For instance, a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon found that AI agents could only complete a complex objective about 16% of the time. Humans, on the other hand, did so 88% of the time.
- They’re not foolproof: These assistants can mess up in hilarious ways. Picture them getting stuck in a browsing loop or adding a mountain of random stuff to your shopping cart. And yep, that embarrassing accidental friend request? Totally on them. They also do weird stuff that may come off as totally on purpose, like adding dozens of items to a user’s cart.
- Deep conversations and emotion: Most AIs lack the emotional intelligence and nuance for truly deep discussions. But they’re getting exceedingly better at reading moods and emulating empathy. While that means that they can try to “read the room,” they still won’t get nuance when you start getting frustrated and may even respond in a way that comes off as passive-aggressive. (Breathe, they just don’t get it.)
- Physical world interactions: AI assistants are stuck in the digital world. They can't drive your car or hug you. Stay tuned for this, though — as these AI assistants become even better (and safer), seeing them integrated with robots is not a matter of if but rather when.
- Generalizing knowledge: Most AI assistants are still pretty specialized. Applying knowledge from one field to another isn't their strong suit —They just haven’t mastered cross-domain thinking yet.
Is there a free best AI personal assistant?
As we mentioned above, there are a few options out there if you’re on a budget. While they may not be quite as sophisticated as the paid options, they can still handle basic things like setting reminders, controlling smart home devices, and answering general knowledge questions.
The most well-known freebie is Google Assistant. We all know, and some of us even love the charmingly clueless Google Assistant. It was built for Android phones and as an app for iOS.
Many chatbot services, such as Dialogflow and Botpress, offer free tiers for basic conversational AI. While not full voice assistants, you could use them for some voice-activated tasks creatively.
But, as always, if you want to step up your game, you’re going to have to open up your wallet.
Summing up
Those were the 7 best AI voice assistants to have in your corner in 2024.
Just think about how much easier it's going to be to get stuff done with these virtual helpers running the show.
These nifty little helpers will handle all that for us so we can focus on more important stuff, like watching parkour videos, working out, or catching up on our sleep!
Want an AI assistant that can automate admin, sales, content creation tasks, and more? Try Lindy for free.
