“Please check with my assistant.” A command once restricted to executives and high-ranking managers is now available to anyone with an internet connection, thanks to artificial intelligence. Dreaming of work-life balance? An AI assistant might be the answer. 

At home, AI assistants can help you with day to day tasks such as making you coffee or doing groceries. At work, virtual AI agents can set up meetings, organize calendars and even complete repetitive tasks. 

By using natural language processing and large language models, these AI-powered assistants are revolutionizing the way we live and disrupting industries. At Georgia University, an AI teaching assistant boosted college students’ success and researchers at Stanford have created an algorithm that can review X-rays to detect 14 pathologies in “just a few seconds.”

AI can help free up your day for what matters, handling emails, meetings, and boring tasks.
Ready to hire your personal AI assistant?  In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about virtual AI assistants — so you can choose the best one for your needs.

How to choose an AI assistant?

Here are the topics and questions you need to consider when searching for an AI-powered assistant. 

Voice Activation: Can you just talk to your AI virtual assistant to get things done, or do you need to be typing things out? Speech recognition is a key feature to look for in a smart agent. You want to be able to ask it to do things when you have your hands full, like when playing with your kids or driving.

Integrations: Will this assistant connect with the apps you already use, or will you have a tech war on your hands? Look for the integration capabilities of your smart agent to ensure it matches with your tech stack. Otherwise, how would you ask it to play “Cowboy Carter” on Spotify or to send a vacation notice email on Gmail?

User friendly interface: Is figuring out this assistant easier than learning a new social media dance? There might be a learning curve when setting-up your AI personal assistant, but nothing that takes too much of your time. Always aim for a user-friendly interface.

Skills & capabilities to handle tasks: Can your intelligent AI actually tackle your to-do list? When shopping for a personal virtual assistant you definitely want to make sure it will be doing the work for you and not the other way around. Verify how many steps you need to take to set it to handle tasks for you, to ensure productivity.

Accuracy and reliability: Will this assistant mess up less than your autocorrect? Avoid frustration by looking for a smart virtual assistant that’s dependable, but remember: they too can make mistakes. Assess how much risk you are willing to take.

Data security and privacy: Does this virtual assistant keep your info safe, or is it out open like a forgotten social media post? Ensure your data will be kept safe and private by your intelligent virtual assistant, bear in mind some of them will use anonymized data in its machine learning process.

Cost and value: Is the price worth it for what this assistant can do, or is there a cheaper option? With the abundance of virtual AI-powered assistants in the market, pricing ends up being a key point when selecting one. Be aware of scammers. Some AI tools will try to give you a cat for hare.

The best virtual AI assistants in 2024

1. HiveMind

HiveMind is an AI-powered tool built into Hive’s productivity platform that can create articles, respond to emails, help plan strategic initiatives and even manage projects.

Have a last-minute call and need to read a long report for it? HiveMind can summarize long articles and documents quickly and accurately. Are you just starting in PM and need help building project outlines? HiveMind has your back — this smart AI-powered agent can not only identify different phases of a project but also suggest subtasks, dependencies and define deadlines based on your prompt.

HiveMind can assist with project next steps and respond to emails for you. More than just a content builder, it is an assistant, project manager, and editor all in one.

A few of our favorite ways to use HiveMind are to:

• Respond to emails automatically;
• Outline steps for new product launches;
• Generate SEO-friendly, keyword dense blog posts;
• Create original graphics and images to use on social media, your website, etc.
• Write unique content including briefs, thought leadership (speeches), newsletters, sales proposals, how-to guides, press releases, online ads, job descriptions, etc.

HiveMind pros: 

1. Free with Hive plans — so you can save time and money to do what matters;
2. Access OpenAI’s full suite of AI services — experience the most advanced AI technology, constantly refined for a seamless experience.
3. Integrates with Hive’s enhanced suite of project management capabilities — streamlining your workflow and offering a user friendly interface. 
4. Creates project tasks based on simple inputs — plan smarter and in less time while minimizing risk of missed steps.
5. Responds to emails automatically — improve collaboration, automate routine email responses and achieve inbox zero faster.

HiveMind limitations: 

1. No multi-language support for users in non-English speaking countries — although you are able to ask it to create content and plan projects in other languages. 
2. No voice recognition commands — however, HiveMind is frequently being updated and launching new capabilities. 

Where can you access HiveMind?

Anywhere you see the purple HiveMind icon in the Hive app, you can leverage HiveMind’s powerful predictive technology – mainly in Hive Notes, Hive Mail, and in action cards. So if you’re looking for a new project management solution with AI functionality, Hive is a great place to start.

HiveMind cost: HiveMind is free with all Hive plans. Get started with a free 14-day trial today.

2. Google Assistant

Google Assistant, a powerful AI from Google, works on anything from your phone and watch to your TV and even car. It can manage tasks, make calls, send texts and emails with a voice command. Google Assistant provides real-time info like weather, nearby airports, and traffic based on your location. This smart virtual agent is also capable of giving you updates on the latest news, playing your favorite songs and even regulating the temperature of your home and office.

Google Assistant integrates with many popular apps like Spotify, Gmail, Discord, Walmart, and Postmates. Companies such as Starbucks, Uber, Disney and New York Times are using Google Assistant to best assist customers to get things done, such as buying products, booking appointments, and finding stores. You can also use Google Assistant to join meetings on Meets using the prompt “Hey Google, join the meeting.”

Google Assistant pros: 

1. No time for a lunch break? Google Assistant can order you food with its integration with Postmates. 
2. Set alarms and reminders with voice command. 
3. Get the forecast and traffic status on your way to work.

Google Assistant limitations: 

• Users report the app has some bugs. 
• At times, Google Assistant doesn’t understand prompts. 
• People with speech impairments and non-native English speakers reported frustrations for the AI-powered assistant to understand their voice commands.
• There are privacy and safety concerns about recording and usage of personal information.

Google Assistant Cost: Free with purchase of devices. 

3. Copilot 

After discontinuing Cortana in the Fall of 2023, Microsoft launched Copilot, a chatbox developed on a large language model and able to do summaries of documents, create images and integrate with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook in its pro plan. One of the highlight features of Copilot is the ability to summarize meetings in Microsoft Teams in real time, identifying what has happened so far and what are the unanswered questions. 

Copilot pros: 

1. Copilot can scan different Word documents and create a new one following the same template and style. You can input, for example, notes from a meeting with a client and an old proposal to generate a new one based on two documents. 
2. Copilot can scan and analyze data, identify trends and offer insights in Excel. It also generates graphics and visual presentations for you. 
3. You can transform a Word document into a Powerpoint presentation within seconds using Copilot. It also adjusts and animate your presentation, even offering speaker notes to assist you during your pitch. 

Copilot limitations:

1. There are a lot of concerns about privacy and security within Copilot. Users reported great risk of files being mislabelled and accessible to the wrong person. 
2. Users reported inability to upload documents, with access restricted to the company’s SharePoint.
3. Absence of options to switch between the Creative, Balanced, and Precise models.
4. No image generation with DALL-E, even inside Word, as shown in Microsoft’s Video Preview.

Copilot cost: You can try Copilot for free with limited capabilities. Its Pro plan costs $20 per user per month. Copilot for Microsoft 365 — ideal for business, costs $30 per user per month. 

4. Amazon Alexa

Probably one of the most popular AI chatbots, Amazon Alexa is a cloud-based voice assistant available on Amazon devices from Amazon and other third-party device manufacturers. The wide range of features and tasks this generative AI is able to process is impressive: it can play your favorite song, read the latest headlines, dim the lights in your living room, and even include missing items to your Amazon or Amazon Fresh cart and order it for you.

People often confuse Alexa and Echo, but Echo is simply the devices where Alexa can operate.  Being cloud-based, Alexa can work in your Fire TV, Fire tablets, Alexa app and smartphones. 

Amazon Alexa pros: 

1. Amazon Alexa can help you to stay organized and productive by setting timers, alarms and reminders. 
2. It can offer traffic and weather information so you can better plan your day and travels. 

Amazon Alexa limitations:

1. Users often complain of Alexa slow response and glitches. 
2. It depends on internet connection, if your WiFi goes down, so does Alexa.
3. Amazon Alexa often has WiFi connection issues and insufficient bandwidth to stream music, leading users to waste time resetting their WiFi settings to achieve better performance. 

Amazon Alexa cost: Free with the purchase of Alexa-enabled devices. Some services (Alexa Skills), however, require a monthly fee. 

5. Siri by Apple 

“Hey, Siri” if you are an iOs user you might have given a command to Apple’s AI virtual assistant. This smart agent available only in Apple devices can help you to set reminders, find where you parked, make calls and send text messages — a very handy (and safety) feature when driving. Apple claims Siri is the most private digital assistant in the market by not associating your Siri to your Apple ID. On-device intelligence allows your Siri experience to be personal, as it learns your preferences, while maintaining your privacy. Apple also says “Siri is never shared with advertisers.”

Siri pros: 

1. Multi-language assistance — Apple has given Siri the ability to read messages in 22 different languages and dialects, in addition to English.
2. Siri integrates with a wide range of third-party apps which makes it easy for this personal assistant to tackle tasks for you like make a call, a note, set a timer or play music.
3. Siri has lots of shortcuts that can streamline your day to day tasks such as sending emails, getting traffic insights or even directions to someone’s house, simply say: “Hey Siri, give me directions to John’s house.”

Siri limitations: 

1. Only available on Apple devices. 
2. Siri depends on cloud-computing, which requires internet connection to work properly. 
3. Siri cannot perform multiple actions within most apps. 

Siri costs: Free with the purchase of an Apple device. 

What’s the future of project management with AI virtual assistants? 

With innovation being the key point driving artificial intelligence, very soon the capabilities cited in this article for most virtual AI-powered agents will be outdated. To date, most generative AI chatbots are able to perform these “basic” tasks: 

• Write emails, text message, and documents;
• Answer informational questions; 
• Set reminders and timers;
• Manage calendar and book meetings; 
• Create notes and to-do lists;
• Play songs, games and stream movies;

Most of these tasks need some type of command to be completed, whether through voice, text or image. These AI voice assistants, as the name suggests, are there to assist us to get things done. But some visionary leaders in the industry believe there’s potential for much more. 

To Hive’s co-founder and CEO, John Furneaux, task management will become task execution. “With the rise of AI, it’s going to be important to provide more value for users than ever more – in the future, it’s not just about helping someone manage their work, it’s about doing their work for them,” shared Furneaux in an interview to Website Planet. 

The first democratically built project management platform is a proof of this idea, and is constantly launching new AI-powered solutions to help its users to move faster and streamline their workflow. 

Can a virtual AI-Assistant replace the job of a human virtual assistant?

It’s very likely that executives will continue to have human virtual assistants to handle complex tasks, so we should continue to hear them ask: “please check it with my assistant.” Despite the innovation machine learning and generative AI is bringing to our work and personal lives, there are some skills chatbots won’t be able to handle or perfect, such as: 

1. Emotional intelligence and empathy: While AI is a pro in Natural language processing (NLP), the technology that allows computes the ability to understand human language, humans are experts in other type of NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming),  a psychological approach to analyze strategies to reach personal goals. It involves body language, thoughts, and patterns of behavior learned only through human interaction and experience to specific outcomes.
   
2. Complex problem-solving and adaptability: Dealing with unexpected circumstances is something project managers and most executive assistants are used to. A flight got delayed and your CEO needs to be in Australia for a board meeting? Good luck if you think an AI-assistant can handle all the logistics involved in rebooking this trip. Sure, a human virtual assistant, powered by AI tools, can research new flights, hotels and travel info faster, but certain decisions like rebooking and itinerary adjustments still require human judgment.
   
3. Gut feeling  and cultural intelligence: Certain nuances of human interactions can only be understood by another human being, such as irony, sarcasm and non-verbal cues. The ability to understand context always equips humans to use our intuition when interacting with others, especially with colleagues from different backgrounds and cultures.
   
4. Data privacy and security: Most developers of virtual AI-assistant have clear guidelines on how they handle data privacy and security, however hackers have exposed fragile systems before, turning private information public. A human virtual assistant, although also subject to error, can provide more reassurance and a level of trust and responsibility in following certain regulations that an AI system might challenge to compete. 

Conclusion 

If you are considering using an AI-powered virtual assistant to optimize your daily tasks so you can focus on what matters most to you, this article certainly was a great way to start. It provided you with everything needed to consider when looking for an AI chatbot, such as: voice activation capabilities, integrations to third-party apps, user friendly interface, accuracy and reliability, data security and privacy and pricing.

We also featured the most popular virtual AI-assistants in the market and offered a reflection about the future of project management with the advancement of AI. To sum up, virtual human assistants will continue to have a place in the workforce due to their non transferable skills associated with emotional intelligence and cognitive behavior. 

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