In an agreement between Microsoft and Amazon, voice-controlled digital assistants Cortana and Alexa will be integrated so they can communicate with each other and be available on competing devices.
The two companies announced Wednesday that users will be able to use either assistant to summon the other by the end of the year.
"The world is big and so multifaceted. There are going to be multiple successful intelligent agents, each with access to different sets of data and with different specialized skill areas," Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said. "Together, their strengths will complement each other and provide customers with a richer and even more helpful experience."
The two assistants have different strengths and capabilities. Cortana can assist users to book a meeting, access work calendars, and read work emails. Alexa can control smart devices in the home, shop on Amazon, and has more than 20,000 skills provided by third-party developers.
Bezos said he also would be open to integrating with other assistants such as those made by Apple or Google, although he has not been approached to do so.
Bezos and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella think each assistant has unique qualities that set them apart, and that consumers will eventually use several assistants for different purposes, rather than just one.
Cortana is mainly used on PCs, while Alexa is used on Echo speakers that sit in someone’s home. Both Amazon and Microsoft are working toward integrating their assistants into vehicles, as well.
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