Every major tech company has promised us a smarter, more capable digital assistant. Google is infusing Assistant with generative AI, Amazon is retooling Alexa, and Apple keeps talking up Siri’s evolution. The marketing pitch is that these tools are getting more advanced, more conversational, more “intelligent.”

But here’s the irony: when you strip away the hype, most people still only use them for the simplest tasks.

What People Actually Use Them For

A new YouGov survey laid it out clearly:

• 59% check the weather

• 51% play music

• 47% search the web for an answer

Beyond that, it’s basically telecommunications and household chores:

• 39% use assistants for hands-free calls

• 27% to send or receive messages

• 11% to control other media devices

• 40% set timers

• 20% dabble in smart-home functions

In other words, not exactly cutting-edge use cases. We’ve poured billions into training these systems, and the dominant interaction is still “Alexa, what’s the weather?”

Where AI Can Actually Move the Needle

The frustration is also clear:

• 27% of users say assistants don’t understand requests

• 12% cite lack of accuracy

• And plenty simply say they aren’t as smart as advertised

This is where generative AI and large language models might finally deliver value. Not by inventing entirely new categories of use, but by making the basics seamless and reliable.

Because here’s the truth: when tech just works — instantly, contextually, and without friction — it changes behavior. And that’s when real adoption takes off.

Why This Matters to Real Estate and Development

I think about this in the context of real estate every day. Whether it’s AI underwriting tools, construction scheduling, or property management platforms, the same principle applies:

The companies that win aren’t the ones shouting about flashy new features. They’re the ones that eliminate the small frictions. They’re the ones that make the routine tasks — the “weather checks” of our industry — effortless and accurate.

That’s when developers, investors, and operators start trusting the technology with higher-value decisions. That’s when AI stops being a novelty and starts becoming infrastructure.

Final Take

So, yes — digital assistants may still be stuck in the “play music, set a timer” phase. But that’s the opportunity. If generative AI can fix the accuracy problem, smooth out the user experience, and scale into more complex functions, the leap from checking the weather to running your household — or underwriting a deal — becomes much smaller than it looks today.

For those of us building in real estate and tech, the lesson is simple: focus on solving the boring stuff first. That’s where the adoption curve starts.