Is anyone else frustrated with Alexa?

[shimps1]

Have the fixed it's inability to control Spotify? I stopped using it completely after that feature broke.

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[Hereforthesnacks]

(Yeah, I'm aware that both Google and Amazon have LLM "AI"s, and guess what? I never use them or the voice assistants either).

If you use Google to search online, you are using their AI models.

 

[kevinhanff]

After using apps on a regular basis like Chat GTP voice and even Google does anyone else find Alexa extremely lacking and frustrating. I may ask it a simple question two or three times give up grab my phone and just ask Google or Chat. It seems a little like going from a mobile phone back to a pager . Chat GTP active voice as standard in the Rivian would be awesome .

No. Turned it off when Alexa frequently could not understand the request. I don’t use it because it’s just frustrating.

 

[Captblue]

Just wait until we are able to see “TEXT” on our vehicle, Alexa will be even more horrible. Need a native replacement like Tesla.

 

[Ecupip]

Alexa works great for my uses....controlling the smart home devices and R1T functions flawlessly.

 

[VandalSibs]

If you use Google to search online, you are using their AI models.

Yep. Which is why I don't search with Google.

 

[Zoidz]

It's interesting how polarized the experience and opinions are regarding Alexa. My experience has met my expectations - definitely not exceeded. it is by no means perfect, but when used with an understanding of the tech and its limitations, it's been acceptable and useful to me. For me, it does seem to fail frequently on the first navigation request, but will usually succeed on the second request. I use it for vehicle control (fan speed, temperature, etc.) and it usually works.

Alexa is not new to me due to Rivian and that probably makes a difference in my expectations. I've always been an early tech adopter. At home, I have had Alexa interfaced to my Universal Devices home automation system for 4 or 5 years, using it to turn lights/devices on and off, play music through the whole house audio system, etc. With the Rivian, I find it useful to turn on additional lights when I am coming home at night.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

Yep. Which is why I don't search with Google.

Ok sorry. Every single search engine uses AI models.

 

[Mathme]

I used Alexa a few times when I first got the truck for simple things like, "Alexa, Open charge port door." After numerous tries and her still getting it wrong, I stopped using it and started doing it the old-fashioned way....pushing the damn button.

I don't need that kind of frustration in my life.

 

[Blueassassin]

I used to really like Alexa have her in most rooms in my house. Seems like when it first came they were sending out updates and new things Alexa could do at some point it seems like they realized the money wasn't there and she started to become dumb. other devices seem to do more even the show that i have at home seems to try to send me adverts all the time i dont want. I used her for opening the frunk, playing music and other commands in the Rivian all the time but. She statred being worse at that and i didnt bother paying for the membership.

 

[skyguyscott]

With a vague idea of how late-stage capitalism sustains, I am skeptical if not suspicious of spy-ware masquerading as a "digital assistant." I don't use Alexa at all, but I have no doubt it is extremely helpful to Amazon, being as that it is whole raison d'être. I am daily reminded of how "artificial intelligence" could be more accurately described as "artificial stupidity" I am greatly encouraged to read here that there are others who share that concern and skepticism, not about the technology, but about how that technology is being guided and fashioned by corporations, governments and greedy, myopic self-interests who may fail to see (or ignore) the larger risks, and who in fact, it must be understood, do not have your interests, best or otherwise, in mind.

The urge to use Alexa as a UI to command various functions at home or in the vehicle is an indictment of the poor graphical/mechanical UI -- deep menu structures, multi-step touches and complex mental mapping to remember where and how to adjust or enable different simple tasks (like, say, turn on a light, get directions to a destination, or adjust the position of the vent!) Gen Z, according to various YouTube videos, is largely unable to call a close friend using a rotary phone, read a paper road map and follow road signs to a destination, or use things like a filing cabinet, a rolodex or dictionary to retrieve information. Then again, I don't have any experience in shoeing a horse or making soap.

 

[SteveInBend]

I can't read the clock over on the far right-hand side of the center display, so my primary use of Alexa is to ask "Alexa, what time is it?". Seems to work well for my particular use case.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

As someone else mentioned, Alexa works fine for things like playing Amazon music and other basic truck functions. I've got a whole thread of videos of her misunderstanding my navigation requests, however. I do tend to get a bit mad at her then. Found that actually typing the address on screen yields much better results. I've also set up a few basic "automations" like "turn cameras on when I arrive at work", that sort of thing. Spotty reliability, at best, with those.

Imo Alexa is a dying product. Didn't Amazon fire most of their Alexa staff a while ago? Only a matter of time before we get Google or a Rivian in-house voice assistant.

 

[Zoidz]

With a vague idea of how late-stage capitalism sustains, I am skeptical if not suspicious of spy-ware masquerading as a "digital assistant." I don't use Alexa at all, but I have no doubt it is extremely helpful to Amazon, being as that it is whole raison d'être. I am daily reminded of how "artificial intelligence" could be more accurately described as "artificial stupidity" I am greatly encouraged to read here that there are others who share that concern and skepticism, not about the technology, but about how that technology is being guided and fashioned by corporations, governments and greedy, myopic self-interests who may fail to see (or ignore) the larger risks, and who in fact, it must be understood, do not have your interests, best or otherwise, in mind.

The urge to use Alexa as a UI to command various functions at home or in the vehicle is an indictment of the poor graphical/mechanical UI -- deep menu structures, multi-step touches and complex mental mapping to remember where and how to adjust or enable different simple tasks (like, say, turn on a light, get directions to a destination, or adjust the position of the vent!) Gen Z, according to various YouTube videos, is largely unable to call a close friend using a rotary phone, read a paper road map and follow road signs to a destination, or use things like a filing cabinet, a rolodex or dictionary to retrieve information. Then again, I don't have any experience in shoeing a horse or making soap.

Regarding the spyware/paranoia aspect, I don't use it for anything I consider confidential. If Amazon wants to count the number of times a week I turn on a light for marketing/demographic data, fine, have at it. If you use a computer with a browser, have a mobile phone and a connected vehicle, you are giving up infinitely more data about yourself via those connected systems than using Alexa voice commands.

On the tech side, I admit I am not the typical user. I work in tech, part of which involves network security best practices for VPN, Remote Access, Zero Trust, etc. As a long time listener of the "Security Now" TWIT podcast it's painfully true that there are actors and corporations out there who care only about their interests and gains, not our interests. I agree - most people are not aware of the extent. But there is always a bad guy hanging out somewhere in a dark downtown corner - does that mean we should never go downtown?

Some people are just into the tech and/or convenience of it. It's not necessarily a work around for poor UI. Kinda like using an igniter push button to start a gas grill vs. loading up charcoal, finding matches, striking a match and probing around to light the fire. Or to be like Scotty, Captain Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

 

[stormbreaker]

I've had problems for a while now while asking it to dial a number for me. I've rebooted to no avail.

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