How can smaller brands enter the home assistant market?

Voice applications specialist VoiceLabs predicts that the number of voice-activated devices sold in 2017 will increase by more than 275%, from 6.5m units in 2016 to 24.5m. As the sector gains mainstream traction, it marks an important step in the evolution of the voice-activated home device with brands looking to expand their offer beyond Western Millennial consumers.

Although people are increasingly accustomed to living alongside these personal assistants, concerns around privacy remain as consumers welcome these artificially intelligent, hackable devices into their most intimate spaces and brands’ advertising campaigns lead to mixed results.