Voice assistant devices are making life in and out of our homes easier and more fun. Having Alexa, Siri and Google as a constant presence in your home can feel like having an obedient pet, one that’s never too busy and responds to your every whim with a positive attitude.

The New Norm

It’s becoming the norm to ask questions about the weather, set bedtime alarms and increase music volume on command, all with the power of your voice without lifting a finger. We’re getting used to having voice command technology around, and we trust it.

We’ve quickly become accustomed to speaking to our devices and it’s become part of our routine. In reality, though, these are still early days. We increasingly rely on voice capabilities while driving, cooking or in a new city on a holiday. It’s remarkable. Even though I am part of a voice technology company, I am still impressed when I think of how far the industry has come in such a short time.

This progress will only accelerate, and the capabilities of these devices will significantly increase. Voice-first devices are helping drive a convergence of current technologies and addressing our need to be integrated with our assistive technology. When coupled with more AI capabilities, better natural speech and smoother personal interactions our devices become increasingly indispensable. Sounds great, right?

Is There A Darker Side To Loyalty?

Don’t let that soothing voice lure you into complacency about your privacy. There can be a darker side to voice command technology. It might answer to your every whim, but these technologies will take commands from other voices — or a pre-recording of your voice — against your will, and they increasingly have the tools to wreak havoc.

For example, your roommate could record your voice asking Alexa to set the morning alarm and then swap the time out with another sound bite, so your alarm goes off an hour early. That would be annoying, but it wouldn’t do too much harm. What if a less harmless human was to record your voice asking Alexa to turn off the home alarm and then gain access your house? Or more simply, a mischievous neighbor yelling through your wall and activating your Alexa enabled laptop?