[Yodoshi]

During Google's hardware/AI Assistant a point was made about wanting google assistant to emote based on context and be personal to the user, 'A personal google for everyone.

This plays to your suggestion of emotional bonding being a key need for AI assistant's.

Though having it called 'Google assistant' seems to break that connection, though imagine something is in the pipeline being tested and analysed over and over to see what works with AI connecting with a user.

[Fricken]

If you think people are concerned with privacy now, an AI that people -kids- are spilling their deepest darkest secrets to will really creep us out.

It's probably best left to a third party to skin the Google assistant with soft skills. A small startup can afford to gamble on these things. Google (or Viv, Facebook, Cortana et al) need only provide the underlying capability, in such a way that they can wash their hands of it should it invoke a public backlash.

Just so long as they're collecting the data they need to ultimately know you better than you know yourself.

[lowglow]

It was hilarious, especially seeing as we've had some interest from google regarding our device that we believe everyone will live and grow with. I envision a world where people will be born with their AI companions that will learn who they are and help them grow in the best ways. :)

[xenobioticants]

Which Google has made exactly zero progress towards. Google Now has access to a lot more data and is a lot more useful than Siri, but if you curse at Siri for doing something wrong, she (it? they should really gender AI's.. helps with bonding) says she was only trying to help. Ask her if she watches GoT.. she gives you a quip about Lannisters. If I ask her what track is playing, she says 'let me have a listen'. Google Now just gives a beep and displays a bouncy colored wave. I can ask Siri 'do I need to wear a jacket tommorow' and it'll give me the forecast. Google just displays a search result with that particular sentence.