14 DAY TRIAL // This year’s Google I/O event was full of surprises and novelties that have gotten tech savvies from all over the world excited. During the event, Google debuted Allo, a new AI-based chat application that allows users to chat with each other using animated graphics, as well as to call in Google to share media and even buy things.
Allo is clearly Google’s response to Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. It comes with multiple modules, like Expression, Assistant and Security, and the stickers that it contains are sourced from independent artists from all around the globe.
Allo is tied to phone numbers and not Google accounts, which means that users with Android or iOS phones can use the text messaging application, without having to deal with other Google proprietary apps. But Allo will only work on the phone where it’s set up.
Google seemed to have figured out a way for people to communicate their emotions better as the Whisper/Shout feature allows users to adjust the text size of particular messages they want to send so that they can emphasize a certain idea. Interestingly, the feature works with pictures too, not just text. Allo also allows users to send pictures and even doodle on them.
Allo poses some security issues
In addition, Allo uses machine learning to allow users to type less and use smart replies that are built right into chat conversations. It learns speech patterns and provides suggestions of most common responses. The application offers smart replies for received pictures inside Allo.
Allo comes with Google assistant built right into it, and the company assured us that it keeps conversations private and secure. The matter of security comes to mind because Allo was designed to scan and analyze images and conversations in order to provide smart replies.
While this feature is quite innovative, it does pose some security concerns. For increased security, Allo offers the option to start an incognito conversation, which encrypts messages on the wire and also end-to-end.
Users with smartphones running Android and iOS would have to wait until this summer to check out the application.
