Microsoft's Cortana, the personal digital assistant, learns over time and is becoming more and more capable at helping people with various workplace tasks. Microsoft is emphasizing Cortana's ability to boost productivity as a hands-free assistant and the newest features of the assistant include the fact that Cortana can now read emails aloud, note scheduling changes and give users the ability to reply to messages with voice commands.
Some of the other new features include Cortana being able to send a daily email that provides an overview of a user's meetings for the day. Another new feature named Scheduler allows Microsoft's Cortana to review calendars, suggest available meeting times and even book a meeting room once an appropriate time has been settled on by participants.
Email-Dictating Virtual Assistants
Microsoft's Cortana Can Read Emails with Natural Language Tech
Trend Themes
1. Voice-activated Productivity - The trend of voice-activated virtual assistants like Cortana reading emails and helping with workplace tasks presents disruptive innovation opportunities in reducing manual data entry and enabling hands-free multitasking.
2. Natural Language Technology - The trend of virtual assistants utilizing natural language technology, such as Cortana reading emails aloud and understanding scheduling changes, presents disruptive innovation opportunities in improving communication efficiency and accuracy.
3. Smart Meeting Scheduling - The trend of virtual assistants like Cortana suggesting available meeting times and booking meeting rooms presents disruptive innovation opportunities in streamlining the meeting scheduling process and optimizing resource allocation.
Industry Implications
1. Virtual Assistants - The virtual assistant industry can explore disruptive innovations to enhance the capabilities of voice-activated assistants, improving productivity and efficiency in various workplace tasks.
2. Communication Technology - The communication technology industry can seize disruptive innovation opportunities by developing and refining natural language technology to enable virtual assistants to accurately read emails, adapt to scheduling changes, and facilitate voice-based communication.
3. Meeting Management Solutions - The meeting management solutions industry can leverage disruptive innovations to integrate virtual assistants like Cortana, automating the meeting scheduling process, and enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of meetings.