Alexa Is Deaf to Vocal Skill Search
June 29, 2017
Here is a surprising fact: Amazon does not have a vocal search for Alexa skills. Amazon prides itself on being on being a top technology developer and retailer, but it fails to allow Alexa users to search for a specific skill. Sure, it will list the top skills or the newest ones, but it does not allow you to ask for any specifics. Tech Crunch has the news story: “Amazon Rejects AI2’s Alexa Skill Voice-Search Engine. Will It Build One?”
The Allen Institute For Artificial Intelligence decided to take the task on themselves and built “Skill Search.” Skill Search works very simply: users state what they want and then Skill Search will list other skills that can fulfill the request. When AI2 submitted the Skill Search to Amazon it was rejected on the grounds that Amazon does not want “skills to recommend other skills.” This is a pretty common business practice for companies and Amazon did state on its policy page that skills of this nature were barred. Still, Amazon is missing an opportunity:
It would seem that having this kind of skill search engine would be advantageous to Amazon. It provides a discovery opportunity for skill developers looking to get more users, and highlighting the breadth of skills could make Alexa look more attractive compared to alternatives like Google Home that don’t have as well established of an ecosystem.
Amazon probably has a vocal search skill on their projects list and does not have enough information about it to share yet. Opening vocal search gives Amazon another revenue stream for Alexa. They are probably working on perfecting the skill’s language comprehension skills. Hey Amazon, maybe you should consider Bitext’s language offerings for an Alexa skills search?
Whitney Grace, June 29, 2017
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