As technologists race to invent the next big thing after the smartphone, many have overlooked what is starting to seem obvious: That the human voice is a powerful, perhaps the most powerful, mechanism for controlling the world around us. And, more importantly, speaking is a behaviour that doesn’t require a user manual.

   Now, Amazon, Google and Apple are speeding toward a not-too distant future when your voice will dictate commands to a personal assistant, powered by artificial intelligence, and ultimately supplant your PC and phone for regular computing purposes. In other words, your voice — not a screen — will become the primary interface for accessing the Internet, and even controlling your home or car.

What are intelligent personal assistants?

   Intelligent personal assistant (or simply IPA) is a software agent that can perform tasks or services for an individual. These tasks or services are....