In a world increasingly populated by AI assistants, consumers and professionals alike are facing a paradox of choice.
From household names like Alexa, Siri, and Google Gemini to specialised newcomers and enterprise solutions like Microsoft Copilot, the landscape is evolving at breakneck speed.
But which assistants truly deliver value, and are we better served by jack-of-all-trades solutions or specialised AI tools? Let’s dive into what real users are saying about today’s top contenders.
The Big Players: Evolving or Falling Behind?
Alexa: From Basic Commands to Conversational AI
Amazon’s Alexa+ appears to be hitting its stride with major upgrades. The company recently launched an AI-powered version that allows users to have much deeper, more meaningful conversations than simply asking for the weather or a tasty recipe.
One Reddit user opined:
I have Google and Alexa in my home. Google was my main source for the last 7 years. But as of the last year and a half, Alexa has become my more dependable to use. Sad to say Google isn’t keeping up.
This sentiment probably reflects Amazon’s substantial investment in generative AI, including an $8 billion partnership with Anthropic. The new conversational Alexa can handle multiple requests simultaneously and maintain context throughout interactions; a big advancement over the traditional command-response model.
According to reports, Bank of America analysts suggest that if just 10% of active Alexa users subscribe to premium features (expected to cost between $5-$10 monthly), Amazon could generate around $600 million annually.
Siri: The Sleeping Giant
Apple’s Siri, once considered cutting-edge, now appears to be playing catch-up. Recent reports suggest that a “more conversational” Siri upgrade is facing long delays, potentially not arriving until iOS 20 in 2027!
While some Apple Intelligence features are expected with iOS 18.5 this May, including on-screen awareness and better app controls, the ChatGPT-like conversational capabilities users have been waiting for remain elusive.
As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman noted, “The next version of Siri will be a test of whether Apple can mount a comeback.”
Some have suggesed that Apple’s slower pace might be strategic rather than a disadvantage.
Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities proposes:
We view Apple playing a different game, as they are agnostic of LLM. It’s about Apple Intelligence as a developer platform for AI. A new Siri design will happen, but not overnight.
Gemini: Google’s AI Assistant Evolution
In February 2025, Google made its Gemini 2.0 family of AI models generally available to everyone, including a free tier for general use.
However, it lags behind in terms of its hardware integration, and some users are frustrated at the lack of connectivity in the Google eco system, one Reddit member commenting:
The insanity is that if Google connected its AI model with Home devices, it would be game-changing.
The Gemini lineup includes Flash for high-volume tasks, Pro for complex coding (with an impressive 2-million token context window), and the cost-efficient Flash-Lite. All models launch with multimodal capabilities, meaning they can process both text and images.
Some users have found Gemini better able to integrate with their devices, which would suggest that for the consumer, the specific use case could go a long way to dictating which AI assistant they prefer, another user explaining that they use Google’s assistant because it integrates with their Android auto; giving the ability to control the home from the car, albeit lacking some basic functionality.
So, while users appreciate the current integration with Google’s ecosystem, there’s clear anticipation for deeper integration between Gemini’s advanced capabilities and Google’s smart home and automotive products to create a more cohesive assistant experience.
Enterprise Solutions: Microsoft’s Copilot
Microsoft has positioned Copilot as its “everyday AI companion” for enterprise users. Developed in partnership with OpenAI, Copilot is deeply integrated across Microsoft’s ecosystem, from Windows to Microsoft 365 applications.
Copilot differentiates itself through business-data integration, leveraging LLMs, 365 apps and the Microsoft Graph API to access company documents, emails, meetings, and chats. This grounding in business context makes it particularly valuable for enterprise users.
Microsoft Copilot, described as the tech giant’s ‘everyday AI companion’, has quickly become one of the most popular AI tools for the enterprise
The commitment to security and compliance also makes Copilot attractive to businesses concerned about data protection, as it “automatically inherits your company’s compliance, security, and privacy policies.”
Specialised AI Assistants: The Rise of Purpose-Built Tools
While general-purpose assistants battle for dominance, many users are finding more value in specialised AI tools designed for specific tasks.
Coding and Development Tools
One Reddit user was full of praise for Cursor:
Cursor, it’s literally the golden child on what an AI product is. I’m seeing people legit use cursor as a WRITING tool because it’s that good.
This AI-powered code editor has garnered significant attention for its ability to understand and generate code efficiently. Several users mentioned purchasing subscriptions to Cursor Pro despite never having paid for other online services.
Meeting and Conversation Assistants
Tools that record, transcribe, and summarise meetings are becoming increasingly popular. Users mentioned solutions like Fathom, Tactiq, and Fireflies.io for meeting documentation.
“I use Fathom for recording and transcribing online calls,” shared one user, while another added, “I personally use tactiq for transcribing my work calls and getting summaries in real time.”
The Quest for a True Executive Assistant
Despite the proliferation of AI tools, many users express frustration about the lack of a comprehensive executive assistant solution.
One Reddit post complained that many AI assistants are essentially glorified chatbots or task managers, and that they usually just end up settling on the tried and tested systemts they’re used to.
This user described wanting “an App that could act like a human assistant, take notes on what needs to be done, follow up with me to ensure they are done, give suggestions on what to do next, and similar functions.”
While several startups are attempting to address this market gap, including Mavex.ai, Atlas AI, and ActorDo, users report that a comprehensive solution remains elusive.
Multi-Assistant Strategies
Interestingly, many advanced users aren’t limiting themselves to a single assistant but are instead employing multiple specialised tools for different contexts.
“I use Claude (3.7 is fantastic) for most of my LLM work. I also use ChatGPT (all models) and Gemini. I think it’s important to keep trying all platforms as they update frequently,” shared one Reddit user.
Another described their elaborate setup:
- Chatgpt for day-to-day tasks
- Voice chat for brainstorming
- Grok 3 deep research for outlining and planning programming projects
- Cursor pro (Claude 3.7) for actual coding
- Fathom for video calls, Fireflies for in person meetings
- Apollo.ai for prospecting clients
Yikes – that’s a lot of AI assistants!
The Future: Specialisation and Integration Together
Based on community feedback, AI assistants are evolving in two complementary directions. On one hand, specialised tools like Cursor and Fathom excel at specific tasks, delivering exceptional proficiency in coding, meeting documentation, and other focused applications.
Plenty of Reddit users express enthusiasm for specialised tools like Cursor for coding or Fathom for meeting transcription, which suggests these purpose-built solutions may better address specific needs.
On the other hand, users want better integration between their various digital tools. Microsoft’s Copilot, for example, does this by embedding AI assistance throughout its ecosystem, while other users create personal stacks of specialised tools that work together.
The community consensus suggests the most effective strategy combines specialised tools for high-value tasks while hoping for more unified solutions in the future. For consumers, this might mean using Alexa for smart home control, Claude or ChatGPT for reasoning tasks, and specialised assistants for work applications. For enterprises, Microsoft Copilot offers integration advantages, while more specific assistants can fill capability gaps.
As we move forward, the distinction between specialised and general assistants will likely become blurrier.
One Reddit user summed up the collective aspiration: “We want Jarvis [a fictional, highly intelligent AI humanoid robot]!” Until that comprehensive solution arrives, strategic combinations of specialised assistants remain as the most effective approach.
