CES2018: Microsoft, Xiaomi Unveil World’s First Dual AI Voice Assistant

Yeelight voice assistant debuted at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in the US. Amazon Alexa has opened up the market for voice assistants, and Xiaomi and Microsoft Xiaoice designed Yeelight to fill the gap. Yeelight voice assistant is the world’s first smart device with a dual AI voice assistants, allowing you to “bring two girls home at once.”

Yeelight focuses on dual AI systems, integrating the female voices of Microsoft’s Xiaoice and Xiaoai. Users can switch between Xiaoai, the rational and practical problem solver, and Xiaoice, the emotional ‘girl’ with whom users can chat about personal issues. Many intelligent voices have been released on the market, but most fell into disuse over the last few years. Microsoft’s Xiaoice makes voice assistance more interesting and encourages users to interact.

Yeelight can control intelligent homes via voice. Within 5 meters, Yeelight can wake equipment receive specific voices. Yeelight supports 2.4G and 5G dual-frequency Wi-Fi. Shipments are expected to begin on January 31.

Microsoft Xiaoice entered the Xiaomi ecosystem in late 2017. By calling Xiaoice or Xiaoai, users can control Xiaomi products, including the Yeelight white light bulb, color light bulb, dome light, Xiaomi Home lamp, air purifier, air conditioning, electric fan, intelligent, rice cooker, wall switch, sweeping robot and hot pot.

Previously, Microsoft announced Xiaoice has integrated with the Xiaomi IoT open platform at the Fifth-Generation Xiaoice Launching Ceremony. At that time, Xiaoice could control 35 smart devices on the Xiaomi platform. In addition, Microsoft partnered with a number of other IoT vendors to put Microsoft Xiaoice into more devices.

The Yeelight voice assistant received crowdfunding in the Xiaomi ecosystem in late 2017. Yeelight reached its goal after 10 minutes and broke records as it sold out within one hour. The price was 199 yuan. Netizens responded enthusiastically. The dual AI design opened new categories for voice assistants, adding new possibilities to their functions and applications.

Yeelight is the first dual system voice assistant. Its release will prove whether the market likes this kind of assistant or not. If the general public accepts Yeelight, perhaps more “AI” voice assistants will appear in the future. There may be one platform containing all voice assistants. If so, you’ll probably have more than two girls at home.

This article by Zhang Zhiying originally appeared in Huanqiu and was translated by Pandaily.