Google’s most advanced personal AI yet, Google Assistant, is getting a few new features courtesy of Google opening up Actions to third party developers, and the new actions are fairly unique and targeted. Through integration with new partners like CareGeneral, FaithLife, and various cities around the globe, Assistant can now do a number of new things like get help for a family member who has fallen and can’t get up, connect you with people praying for you, and tell you what day your garbage should be out at the road. The full list of new partners and actions is fairly extensive, and will be rolling out in batches to users according to partners’ schedules.
A number of the new actions rolling out are linked to municipalities like cities, towns, and villages all over the world. Users whose hometowns have partnered up and created some actions can check up on things like bus schedules and municipal services through Assistant. Partnership with CareGeneral means that Google Assistant can now alert family and friends when you’re incapacitated in some way, like from a bad fall. FaithLife, meanwhile, can help Christian users to keep up on their personal walk with God, directing them to Bible verses and lists of canned prayers normally used for spiritual mindfulness. Pray Together rounds out the list, targeting users of all religions that pray to a higher power and intercede for one another, by linking users to others who need prayer or are praying for them.
A different version of Google Assistant resides in applicable phones, Google’s Allo chat app, and Google Home, so the rollout and list of actions for each may differ somewhat. The same can be said of Assistant’s future and other homes, such as select Hyundai vehicles, select Chromecast models, and Android TV. It is to be assumed that most, if not all of these actions will make it to Google Home, the most full-featured Assistant platform, at the very least, though a rollout to all forms of Assistant is fairly likely. Because they are working on partners’ schedules, Google has not yet put out a definite timeline for when users can expect to begin seeing some of these actions reach their devices.