In iOS 12, Apple started rolling out Siri Shortcuts. In iOS 14, they’re getting much smarter and more pervasive. Now Google is rolling out shortcuts for Google Assistant.
In doing so, they’re both showing us the near future power of AI-driven smart assistants.
And they’re highlighting the vulnerability of apps.
If you often get a coffee in the morning, Siri will notice and start suggesting it. And in the iOS 14 beta that I’m currently testing, I’m noticing significantly more of Siri’s suggestions. Some of them are very simple, like suggesting I set my alarm clock for my usual get-up time. Others are more sophisticated, like offering to put my phone in do-not-disturb mode when I’m starting a livestream or a podcast recording. Likewise, Google Assistant is rolling out the ability to control apps more via commands like “new tweet,” which will open up Twitter with the tweet composition window open, ready and waiting.