Google Assistant can make your life easier—here's how

“Hey Google, what are you?”

If you want to witness the unfolding of an AI-fueled existential crisis, that’s the question to ask your Google Home Mini. Okay, not really. Google won’t panic, it will just cheerfully tell you, “I’m your Google assistant.” Then, if you’re lucky, it may offer up some interesting facts for your enjoyment.

But you’ll still be no closer to answering your original question than you once were. So we’ll answer it for you.

What is Google Assistant?

In a world of Alexas, Siris, and Cortanas, your Google Assistant is just another voice assistant meant to make your life easier. Launched in 2016, it’s come a long way over the last few years and can now be integrated with over 1,500 devices from over 100 different brands to make your smart home the smartest on the block.

Think of Google Assistant as your voice-operated Google search bar—and so much more. You can ask questions about the weather and local news, be reminded of your daily appointments, set routines that help you to stay organized, convert measurements and currency, translate different languages, have recipes recited to you, play music, and get recommendations for everything from movies you might like to local restaurants you should check out.

How to use Google Assistant

Available on most Android phones (and even your iPhone, with some restrictions), you can also get your Google Assistant on your Google Home speaker, your smart display, your television, your laptop, in your car and on any other Google-enabled device.

With a simple, “Okay Google” or “Hey Google,” you have the entire internet, as well as your personal calendar and any of your smart-home integrated devices, at your disposal.

Turn on the television, turn down the lights, change the temperature of the room you’re in, and set an alarm for the morning; your Google Assistant is there to do it all for you.

How to talk to Google Assistant

And because AI is constantly evolving, Google Assistant can also engage in a continued conversation pattern. Which means you don’t have to keep saying, “Hey Google,” once you’ve already woken your assistant up.

Even more, your Google Assistant is capable of recognizing voice patterns, so it knows whether it’s talking to you or your kid.

And for the kid in all of us, Google Assistant is also great fun, telling knock-knock jokes, playing MadLibs, and coming equipped with all sorts of hilarious, Easter-egg responses.

Is Google Assistant right for you?

Well, it’s your organizer. Your grocery-list maker. Your entertainment. Your universal smart home remote. Your timekeeper. Your information resource. Your recipe reciter. And more.

If you have a life, Google Assistant can help you run it. The only thing it can’t do at this point is rub your feet after a long, hard day.

Yet.