Virtual assistants are a form of inteligência artificial[1] (AI) that perform tasks and services for an individual, often based on commands or questions. The evolution of this tecnologia[2] began in the 1900s with early voice-activated devices. The application and capabilities of virtual assistants have significantly grown, ranging from managing emails to controlling home appliances. Notable examples include Siri, Alexa, Google[3] Assistant, and Bixby. Advancements in AI and language models have revolutionized their conversation abilities, making interactions with users more human-like. However, their widespread use has also raised privacidade[4], security[5], and ethical concerns. Despite this, they have economic significance and are integrated into various industries, driven by the adoption of Internet[6] of Things (IoT). The global market for this technology is expected to exceed US$7.5 billion by 2024.
A assistente virtual (VA) is a software agent that can perform a range of tasks or services for a user based on user input such as commands or questions, including verbal ones. Such technologies often incorporate chatbot capabilities to simulate human conversation, such as via online chat, to facilitate interaction with their users. The interaction may be via text, graphical interface, or voice - as some virtual assistants are able to interpret human speech and respond via synthesized voices.
In many cases users can ask their virtual assistants questions, control home automation devices and media playback, and manage other basic tasks such as email, to-do lists, and calendars - all with verbal commands. In recent years, prominent virtual assistants for direct consumer use have included Apple's Siri, Amazon Alexa, Assistente Googlee Samsung's Bixby. Also, companies in various industries often incorporate some kind of virtual assistant technology into their customer service or support.
Recently, the emergence of recent inteligência artificial based chatbots, such as ChatGPT, has brought increased capability and interest to the field of virtual assistant products and services.