Digital assistants, such as Alexa from Amazon, Google Assistant and Siri from Apple, run on smart speakers and appear on our smartphones and are a common part of many people's lives. And like many of the technologies we use every day, we can customize these artificial intelligence assistants to work more efficiently.

Specifically, we are talking about routines, also called shortcuts, that combine a group of actions into one voice command.

For example, you can set up a routine so that when you say "Alex, good morning," your lights come on and the morning inspirational playlist starts to sound from the speakers. Or an iPhone user can say "Siri, I'm going home" to launch a keyboard shortcut that sends an update to a family member in a text message, pulls out Apple Maps navigation instructions, and tells a smart thermostat in the house to start warming up. The real beauty of routines is how you can tailor them to your own needs and schedule. In this tutorial we will show you how to start creating your own keyboard shortcuts for Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri.

How to create routines for Alex

To create a digital assistant routine on Amazon, you must first download the free Alexa app (for Android and iOS) and log in with your Amazon login. That's all you need, but if you have a device with Alexa technology, you can also connect it: The routines now work with Amazon Echo, Echo Flex, Echo Dot and Echo Show.

To get started, launch the application, click the More button in the lower right corner of the screen, and select Routines. Click Selected and the application will give you several samples to check. For example, select Start day to view a routine that includes listening to interesting facts, the latest news, weather, and traffic information. If it suits you, activate the routine by tapping Enable in the upper right corner of the screen. You can also customize the demo: remove items by clicking the wrong button on the left and change the order of events by clicking and dragging the two-line button to tuo.

If you already know how to work with these examples, you can start creating your own routines by clicking the plus icon in the right corner of the Routine menu. Then click when that happens - where you set the trigger to run the routine. To use your words, select Sound, but you can also make your own kick under other conditions, such as the set time (select Schedule) when you press the Echo button (select the Echo button), or as Alexa as it sounds. baby crying or barking dog (select Sound Detection).

Once the trigger is in place, select Add Action and decide what Alexa will do in response. You can choose from categories such as news, date and time, music and podcasts, good news and smart home. Add as many activities as you want and click Save when you're done. Now you can enjoy playing what you are used to in the real world. If it does not work as you wish, you can edit or delete it from your phone - you will find this option in the item Your routines in the Alexa application menu. The more you play with these shortcuts, the more you will appreciate all the different ways to make your life easier. Or just have fun - let "Alex, let's party" turn on the lights and play the playlist of your favorite dance music.

How to set up routines for Google Assistant

With Google Assistant, routines work the same as for Alex. You control everything via the free Google Assistant application (for Android and iOS) or, if you have Pixel, from the settings in the Google search bar. If you have a device from the Google Home family, you can also connect it.

If you have already opened the application and logged in to your account, click on the Explore icon (like a compass) at the bottom right, click on your avatar and go to Settings, open the Assistant tab and finally go to Routines. If you have Pixel, tap the search bar on the home screen, tap the G links, follow your avatar, and go to Settings, where you select Google Now and Routines. Go ahead and look at the samples provided, such as Good Morning and Bedtime. Click on one of them to see the accompanying actions. To make changes, tap a specific action and then tap Capture action at the bottom of the screen.

When you are ready to create your own routine, tap New in the upper right corner of the screen. First, click Add Launcher to see what the routine starts - it could be a voice command, a set time, or even a sunset or sundown.

Then select some answers by clicking add action. Select a category, and then select from your favorite activities, such as reading the weather (under Get info and reminders) or turning off smart lights (under Home appliances). Alternatively, you can select Try to add your own category and enter a voice command - such as "Set volume to 50 percent" - that is associated with the desired action. When selecting specific actions, you need to tap the right arrow to include additional information - for example, if you want to send a text message, you must enter a phone number and message. Above these answers, you can tap Play and check media if you want Google Now to start playing music, podcasts, radio, news, audiobooks, or even sleep sounds (used for bedtime routines). Click the arrow next to each option to further configure it, such as specifying the music you want to listen to. If you are satisfied with your routine, click Save in the lower right corner of the screen and add it to your list. You can go back and edit or delete routines - just go to Google Now settings and select Your Routines. To delete a routine that you created, open it, and then click the trash can icon at the top right.

How to create routines for Siri

On Apple devices, Siri routines are called keyboard shortcuts. Whether you create your own or choose an existing one, you can run it on an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Home Pod, or Mac connected to the same Apple ID. To get started, you need to download the keyboard shortcut app (iOS only - sorry for Android users).

Run keyboard shortcuts and start creating your own Siri commands. For a quick start, tap Gallery to see some thumbnails. These include launching a playlist, sharing a location in a message, setting reminders at work, browsing key messages, and more. To view one of our favorites, find the Image of the Day shortcut in the gallery, who will take a current photo of NASA's daily image source, display it on the screen, and give you the option to save or share it. You may have noticed that the gallery items seem a little more relevant than usual for Alex and Google Assistant. The Siri keyboard shortcut can pass data between applications and functions or move up a set of actions with a single quick command. To get a better idea of   how these actions work, you need to add a few examples to the library - click all, follow the shortcut settings button, and follow the instructions.

To create your own,

tap the shortcut menu on the left, then tap All shortcuts, then the plus icon on the right. You create shortcuts based on the actions you find by checking the list to the right or by entering specific terms in the search box. For example, you can select commands to open a specific application, share the current weather with your location, or retrieve the latest photos you have taken.

When adding actions, place them one by one on your keyboard shortcut. This is the sequence of actions to follow when the keyboard shortcut is actually triggered. To change their order, tap, hold, and drag each action; To delete them, click the cross icons on the right. Many actions have additional settings that you can configure, so when you take new photos, for example, you can choose how many you want to take. This is probably a bit vague, but it's because the Shortcuts app is so versatile that you can use it in many different ways. The best solution to understand how it works is to immerse yourself in the game and start playing as soon as you get it.

Let's say you want your keyboard shortcut to pick up a route to a specific location, such as your home or office. First, you need to set up a Street Address action that defines the address itself. Then add an action to view the instructions below. Launches Apple Maps or Google Maps with directions to the address you entered.

This is an easy option, but you have an idea. To make it even more complicated, you can also add the Capture Time Tracking action that follows the street. Then add this information (travel time) to the Send Message action - letting a close person know how long you will be traveling. When you click on a report template, Travel Time appears as a variable that you can add to the text. For each keyboard shortcut, you can tap the power icon in the upper-right corner to name it and specify the Siri voice command you want to use to launch it. You can even create a shortcut, widget or icon for the home screen.