Actions on Google allows 3rd party developers to integrate with Assistant

Google at its "Made by Google" event unveiled a slew of products including the Pixel phones, Daydream View VR headset, Chromecast Ultra dongle with 4K/HDR support, Google WiFi smart router and voice-controlled Google Home speaker. However, the star of the event was the voice-controlled Google Assistant, which was first showcased at I/O event in May. Google Assistant is to Google, what Cortana is to Microsoft, Siri is to Apple and Alexa is to Amazon. 

Assistant is already built into Google's Allo smart messaging app, the Pixel smartphones and Google Home speaker. In addition, Google also announced that Assistant will be available to third-party developers starting December. The program is called Actions on Google and allow third party developer to integrate Assistant inside their apps or services.

Actions on Google will offer two different type of Actions – Direct Actions and Coversation Actions for developers to integrate into their service. The Direct Actions are straightforward requests like “dim the lights”, or “play Stranger Things on Netflix”. The Conversation Actions will let users have back-and-forth conversations with the Assistant like ordering food and making reservation.

Google also promises to release Embedded Google Assistant SDK in 2017, which will allow third-party hardware manufacturers to load Google Assistant in their devices or products.

Some third-party developers such as CNN, FOURSQUARE, Netflix, Quora, Spotify, Pandora, Uber, WSJ and Web MD and more are already working on integrating Assistant into their services. Interested developers can sign up for the program to receive news and updates from Google.  

Via