Amazon Alexa (Amazon Echo)
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The Alexa Voice System, commonly known as Alexa, is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Amazon. It works with compatible devices, such as Amazon Echo. Alexa responds to voice commands and can perform a number of tasks, from playing music or relaying the news, to controlling smart home devices. Alexa is an artificial intelligence that is comparable to similar "virtual assistants" such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Cortana. [1] The Amazon Echo, and like devices such as Google Home,[2] are a part of a movement for "Smart Home" technologies that look to automate home functions and expand the Internet of Things. Alexa uses a home automation system that makes it a part of this movement. Currently, to activate Alexa, the user must say a wake-word often being Echo or Okay, Alexa. Alexa only features English and German communication and interaction.
Contents
History
Development for Amazon Echo began in 2010, during which Amazon Executive Dave Limp believed the idea of Amazon Echo "foretold a magical experience" but would require many iterations to be successful in the "Smart-Home" market. The biggest challenge faced by Amazon in the construction of the Amazon Echo was that there were no other products on the market to compare and improve upon. Therefore, engineers and product designers at Amazon needed to come up with something completely unique. Other voice control systems, such as Apple's Siri, Google's Voice Search, and Microsoft's Kinect, were fundamentally different from Amazon's product as Amazon Echo did not have a screen for users to see voice input.
For Amazon Echo to be competitive on the market, Amazon needed to create a built-in virtual assistant, Alexa, that was capable of responding to queries quickly and conversationally. After years of unsuccessful iterations, Amazon Alexa was able to thoughtfully respond to voice queries in less than 1.5 seconds on average, far faster than the response times of other competing voice-recognition technologies of the time. Amazon Echo was noted as one of the biggest hits in Amazon's history and made Amazon Alexa widely popular in November of 2014. [3]
Functions
Amazon Echo is signaled when the wake word, set to default by the name "Alexa", is spoken. Users can program their own wake word to be used with the device if they do not like "Alexa". After being signaled by the wake word, Alexa responds via the speakers in an Alexa-compatible device, such as Amazon Echo. The audio that is spoken after the wake word, including less than a second of audio that came before the wake word, is sent to the Cloud. The ring on top of the Echo speaker will turn light blue to let the user know that the audio is being streamed to the Cloud. [4].
Audio
The Amazon Alexa and Echo are compatible with the music services Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio. The Amazon Echo provides 360 degree omni-directional audio and contains a 2.5 inch woofer and 2.0 inch tweeter for deep bass and crisp high notes.[5] Amazon Alexa can hear you from across the room with far-field voice recognition and can even hear you while music is playing from the Amazon Echo. [6]
Alexa Skills
Amazon Alexa also supports Alexa skills, which are voice-driven capabilities that are designed to enhance the functionality of Alexa and Amazon devices. Alexa can answer questions that users ask her and refer them to outside resources. Alexa can also play music, set timers and alarms, create shopping lists, give news and sports updates, check calendars, get traffic information, order Amazon products, and perform many other functions to help a user. [7] Moreover, Alexa offers a wide array of features as the technology is constantly being updated. On April 15, 2015, Amazon launched a home automation feature that allows Alexa to interact with devices, including WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, ecobee, and others [8] As of November 2016, Alexa Appstore had over 5,000 functions available compared to 1,000 functions in June 2016.
Alexa Skills Kit
The Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) is a collection of self-service APIs, tools, documentation, and code samples that enable designers and developers to create and publish skills to Alexa. ASK is free to use and Alexa skill developers can apply to receive promotional credits towards developing further Alexa skills. These skills can be downloaded for free via the Alexa app and tutorials are available for developers to learn how to build voice experiences for their new or existing applications.[9] A new addition to the Alexa Skills Kit is the Smart Home Skill API that provides a set of built-in smart home capabilities. Examples of these capabilities include the ability to control lights, fans, switches, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, locks, and more. [10] The Smart Home Skill API taps into Amazon's standardized language model, relieving developers from building the voice interaction model for their smart home skill.[11]
Alexa Prize
Voice communication and everyday language remain one of the ultimate challenges for artificial intelligence. Amazon continues to promote the advancement of natural language processing. On September 29, 2016, the Alexa Prize was announced, a $2.5 million university competition to advance conversational AI through voice. Teams of university students from around the world are amongst eligible applicants. Up to ten team of students will be selected to receive a $100,000 research grant as a stipend. The competition started on November 14, 2016 and runs until November 2017, with an award ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first competition is to create a socialbot, "an Alexa skill that converses coherently and engagingly with humans on popular topics for 20 minutes." Teams are expected to create a socialbot capable of maintaining a high-quality, fun conversation with humans. [12]
Alexa Fund
To further advance voice technologies, Amazon announced a $100 million venture capital fund on June 25, 2015 to help spur innovation in three specific areas. The three areas are:
- Hardware products for inside the home, outside the home, or on-the-go
- Skills that deliver new abilities to Alexa-endabled devices
- New contributions to the science behind voice technology
Such a fund would allow Amazon to further their current products and allow greater development in the real of text to speech, automatic speech recognition, artificial intelligence.
Ethical Implications
Many ethical concerns regarding privacy and security have been raised about Alexa and other voice response systems. One of the greatest concerns is the device's ability to hear and record you when it is not actively being used as well as the ability of government and independent hackers being able to use these features to gather information on users.
Security
Alexa has the ability to communicate with third-party services to carry out commands, which may cause concern for some. There are also concerns that people can hack into the system and hear users in their homes, but the data that is sent from the device to Amazon's servers is encrypted, helping secure user information from potential hackers. [13]
Other instances that sparked privacy and security concerns was when a 6-year-old accidentally ordered a $170 dollhouse and cookies via Alexa and when a news reporter reported that incident, prompting Alexa devices all over San Diego to attempt to order dollhouses. [14] However, with all privacy issues, there are two sides to the debate. For Alexa owners, they feel that the devices may intrude on their privacy due to its constant listening. This was the case when Alexa ordered a dollhouse by request of a unbeknownst 6-year-old. However, others feel that the parents and owners of Alexa are responsible for understanding the capabilities of the technology they are buying and are responsible for setting security measures accordingly. Alexa has options that can prevent unnecessary purchases and owners can change the wake word if they desire. While it is Amazon's duty to ensure security measures on its products, consumers are also responsible for understanding the technology they are buying.
Privacy/Surveillance
Amazon Alexa is activated when the 'wake word' is spoken. It is not unusual for Amazon Echo to wake up by mistake and start recording audio without the user knowing they are being recorded. This problem is especially prevalent with Alexa responding to its own television ads playing on the user's TV. The information that follows the wake word is sent to Amazon's cloud servers to determine the correct response, but also to learn more about the user [15] While Alexa is always listening, it's only sending the content that is said after it's signaled. This voice information is used to better personalize the user's experience; however, it is unclear how long this data is stored in Amazon's servers. [16]
At the core of the many questions that have been risen about Amazon Alexa is how much Alexa is listening to its users, and whether that affects user privacy or could potentially be used by law enforcement. [17] A spokesperson from Amazon stated that there must be a proper legal warrant for Amazon to give out customer information. Users can also delete voice recordings that were sent to Alexa by going to the History tab in the Settings section of their Alexa App; however, Amazon warns that by deleting voice recordings and interactions made with Alexa, the user experience may be affected. Another option given to users is to change their wake word to something more unique that won't be mistakenly said or picked up on. [18]
Perfect Voyueurism?
The capability of the device to consistently listen to users in anticipation of the wake word, relates to Tony Doyle's notion of "Perfect Voyeurism". Doyle defines Perfect Voyeurism as "covert watching or listening that is neither discovered nor publicized" and Doyle argues that there is nothing wrong with this type of voyuerism [19] Prior to cases such as the dollhouse incident, this perfect vouyeurism could be maintained. As users were likely oblivious to the device's eavesdropping capabilities. However now that the users have become aware of the listening, they have taken measures to avoid the devices persistent listening. As users are able to turn off the microphone on Amazon Echo or Echo Dot by pressing a button on the top of the device. This is consistent with Doyle's sentiment as he states "I maintain that, if detected or publicized, voyeurism can do grave harm" [19]. This harm is evident in the users desire to avoid it. As the avoidance reduces functionality, when this button turns red, the device will not respond to its wake word or the action button until the microphone is turned on again. [20]
Benton County, Arkansas Homicide Investigation Amazon Alexa is concerning in regards to access and ownership of its voice recordings and audio files, especially when it comes to criminal investigation. During a homicide investigation in Benton County, Arkansas in 2015, investigators filed a warrant to collect the audio recordings from an Amazon Alexa Echo device in the home of the homicide suspect[21]. Amazon refused to provide the recordings for investigators out of respect to privacy and constitutional rights under the First Amendment. In a February 2017 court filing, Amazon pushed back against the warrant saying that they would not provide the recordings and transcripts "unless the Court finds that the State has met its heightened burden for compelled production of such materials"[22]. In March of 2017 James Bates' lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, filed a motion stating that Bates would provide the recordings voluntarily. [23] Authorities have asked for evidence from technological devices before, but this may have been the first time a smart speaker has been the holder of information, according to Joel Reidenberg, the Founding Academic Director of the Fordham University's Center on on Law and Information Policy. [23] While this is the first case Joel Reidenberg has seen involving smart speakers, he noted that he was not surprised. [23]
Google Home vs. Burger King
Although not an ethical implication of Amazon's Alexa specifically, a similar product to it, Google Home, was recently embroiled in controversy surrounding the privacy of its users. Fast food giant Burger King recently ran an advertisement that featured a man saying "OK Google, what is the Whoper burger?"[24] The "OK Google" at the beginning of the statement serves as an initialization of the device, which responded to the question by rattling off the Whoper burger's Wikipedia entry, much to the irritation of Google Home owners that had tuned into the television at the time of the advertisement. When people caught wind of what Burger King was attempting to do, the Wikipedia entry for "Whoper burger" was changed to include other, inappropriate statements, such as listing one of the ingredients as cyanide[24]. The advertisement sparked outrage and conversation about the ethics of this particular advertising maneuver by Burger King; similar to Google Home, the Amazon Alexa can be summoned and initialized by a fairly simple command: "Alexa.[25]"
As discussed in Protecting privacy in public? Surveillance technologies and the value of public places by Jason W. Patton, highly intelligent surveillance technologies that are accessible in public spaces are "detrimental to the social, cultural, and civic importance of these places."[26] While Amazon Alexa and Google Home are not products in public places, the Burger King advertisement demonstrates that they have the ability to transform a private home into a public space when tapped by a third-party. Patton eventually comes to the conclusion that the protection of public spaces is just as important as individual privacies; people relish the value that a free environment can provide them and it is critical to avoid infringing on that freedom.[26] Amazon Alexa and Google Home are not surveillance technologies, but their easy manipulation in not only private spaces, but potentially public ones, can infringe both individual rights and safety in public spaces.
See Also
References
- ↑ Crist, Ry "Amazon Alexa: Device Compatibility, How-Tos and Much More" CNET, (8 April 2016. Retrieved on 19 February 2017.)
- ↑ Bohn, Dieter "Google Home: a speaker to finally take on the Amazon Echo" The Verge, (18 May 2016. Retrieved on 11 April 2017.)
- ↑ Gallagher, Billy. "The inside story of how Amazon created Echo, the next billion-dollar business no one saw coming" (2 April 2016. Retrieved on 7 April 2017.)
- ↑ Amazon "Alexa and Alexa Device FAQs" Amazon, (Retrieved 26 February 2017.)
- ↑ https://www.amazon.com/echo-superbowl-commercial/b?ie=UTF8&node=9818047011
- ↑ "Amazon Echo - Black." Amazon Echo - Amazon Official Site - Alexa-Enabled. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X4WHP5E?th=1>
- ↑ Amazon "Enable Alexa Skills" Amazon, (Retrieved 26 February 2017.)
- ↑ http://www.connectedly.com/amazon-echo-owners-can-now-control-wemo-and-philips-hue-devices-their-voice
- ↑ Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit
- ↑ "Amazon Echo - Black." Amazon Echo - Amazon Official Site - Alexa-Enabled. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X4WHP5E?th=1>.
- ↑ Smart Home Skills API https://developer.amazon.com/alexa/smart-home
- ↑ Alexa Prize https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/post/Tx221UQAWNUXON3/Are-you-up-to-the-Challenge-Announcing-the-Alexa-Prize-2-5-Million-to-Advance-Co
- ↑ Moynihan, Tim. "Alexa and Google Home Record What You Say. But What Happens to That Data?" Wired, (5 December 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.)
- ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/01/06/tv-news-report-prompts-viewers-amazon-echo-devices-to-order-unwanted-dollhouses.html
- ↑ Clauser, Grant "What is Alexa? What is the Amazon Echo, And Should You Get One?" (11 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.)
- ↑ Massoglia, Anna. "Amazon Echo is Both Useful and Risky for Lawyers" (3 January 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.)
- ↑ Bradley, Tony. "How Amazon Echo Users Can Control Privacy" (5 January 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.)
- ↑ Moyniham, Tim. "How to Keep Amazon Echo and Google Home From Responding to Your TV" (2 February 2017. Retrieved 10 April, 2017.)
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Doyle, Tony. Privacy and Perfect Voyuerism. 27. May. 2009
- ↑ "How Can We Help?""Can I Turn off the Microphone on Amazon Echo?" N.p., 28 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2017. .
- ↑ Hautala, Laura "Amazon Argues Constitution Protects Your Chats With Alexa" CNET, (23 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.)
- ↑ Mukunyadzi, Tafi [1] "AP", (22 February 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.)
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 McLaughlin, Eliott C. "Suspect OKs Amazon to hand over Echo recordings in murder case" CNN (7 March 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.)
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Google Disabled Burger King's Ad Hijacking Google Home, but BK Got Around That Too
- ↑ Martin, T. (2017, April 17). The complete list of Alexa commands so far. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from https://www.cnet.com/how-to/amazon-echo-the-complete-list-of-alexa-commands/
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Patton, Jason W. (2000). “Protecting privacy in public? Surveillance technologies and the value of public spaces.” Ethics and Information Technology 2: 181-187. [7 pages]
