UK Government Feeds Alexa and Google Home

Good news for Alex and Google Home users in the UK. The government’s Cabinet Office and Government Digital Service have been working to feed the digital assistants with UK-specific information relating to government services. There are now over 12,000 pieces of information, including the minimum wage, applying for a passport and getting free childcare. Additional services will be added over time, such as how to renew car tax and how to get married.

The head of GOV.UK, Jennifer Allum, said, “We want to simplify people’s interactions with the government, making information clear and accessible to everyone.These results are promising because voice services can be a really convenient way to get information, particularly for people who find computers and phones hard to use.”

You can ask Alexa, “When is Brexit?” which she answers accurately, but sadly she doesn’t seem to know who my Member of Parliament is. Then again, Alexa only has useful information…

Photo by Grant Ritchie on Unsplash