Overwhelmed with holiday tasks? Virtual Elf on a Shelf could be the answer!
Virtual assistants latest wave of Artificial Intelligence tools becoming mainstream this seasonSeattle, November 16, 2017
If you’re already swamped with holiday shopping, tasks and plans, the solution might be closer than you think. Research from Avanade found that 80% of Americans believe virtual assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Microsoft’s Cortana, could do a better job of tackling holiday tasks than they could.
What could a virtual assistant help with? The top areas where respondents feel virtual assistants would be more proficient are:
- Building an amazing holiday playlist (48%)
- Finding the lowest priced airfare (45%)
- Recommending the perfect holiday recipe (40%)
- Choosing the perfect holiday gift (34%)
At the same time, shopping with tech devices such as mobile phones or virtual assistants has some risks. During the holiday season, the majority of Americans (82%) are most concerned about:
- Having credit card information stolen (58%)
- Getting scammed by a fake website when buying something (49%)
- Having their personal identity stolen (47%)
Other highlights from the research:
- Younger populations are typically more receptive to new technologies than older demographics, which is why 88% of Millennials believe virtual assistants will do a better job than them when it comes to completing their holiday tasks. However, 85% of them are also more concerned about potential cybersecurity risks compared to baby boomers (79%).
- Virtual assistants, for example, can offer working adults the automation and extra support they need to find gifts and finalize holiday plans. 85% of working Americans are significantly more likely than those who do not work (73%) to believe that virtual assistants are better equipped than they are to handle holiday tasks.
Are you among those using a virtual holiday assistant? How will you be using your device for the holidays?
About Avanade
Avanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences delivered through the power of people and the Microsoft ecosystem. Our professionals bring bold, fresh thinking combined with technology, business and industry expertise to help fuel transformation and growth for our clients and their customers. Avanade has 30,000 digitally connected people across 24 countries, bringing clients the best thinking through a collaborative culture that honors diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate. Majority owned by Accenture, Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation. Learn more at www.avanade.com
Methodology
The Avanade Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults, ages 18+ between November 3 and November 6, 2017, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of U.S. adults, ages 18+.
Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
