Virtual assistant Alexa boasts 1,000 ‘skills’: Amazon

San Francisco (AFP) — Amazon on Friday boasted that its virtual assistant Alexa is capable of 1,000 “skills,” as the online retail giant bolsters defenses against rivals such as Google and Apple.

The Seattle-based company said in a blog post that the programs were developed specifically for the voice-commanded Alexa software used in Amazon devices such as Echo and Fire TV.

Amazon released voice-enabled wireless speaker Echo in late 2014, infusing it with virtual assistant smarts that enable it to answer questions or control linked devices upon command.

A kit lets outside software developers create “experiences,” similar in concept to apps, for Alexa.https://tech.desiforce.com/virtual-assistant-alexa-boasts-1000-skills-amazon/