What we can learn from WeChat's domination in China as we push out more virtual assistants and transition into an AI-first society. In the past, we've featured several a16z summit series presentations in Last Week in the Future (see 16 Questions About Self-Driving Cars by Frank Chen or Mobile is Eating the World by Benedict Evans). This week we analyze connie chan's presentation, "Trends in China", which explores parallels in the US and what WeChat's success can teach us in virtual assistant design. Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon have all played huge roles in pushing the mobile S-curve from creation to deployment stage. Some may argue that in China, the mobile S-curve is already passing the scaling stage into the maturity phase.

The Amazon app with Alexa enabled is shown on an iPhone. Hey Siri, can you make room for Alexa on the iPhone? Amazon revealed Thursday it will bring Alexa to the iPhone through its official app, allowing users to not only ask the company's voice assistant for help with shopping, but request information such as news, weather or sports scores. Tapping the microphone within the Amazon app will summon Alexa, then you can start asking questions just as you would through devices such as the popular Amazon Echo. Currently in the Amazon app, the microphone option only allows users to perform a shopping-related voice search for products.

Several U.S. carriers have now confirmed that the LG G6 release date will be April 7. T-Mobile and AT&T have also revealed their prices for the 2017 flagship. T-Mobile will sell the LG G6 for $650 or $26 down and $26 per month for 24 months as per the network's payment plan. T-Mobile is also offering customers who purchase the LG G6 before April 30 a free Google Home AI assistant. AT&T will sell the LG G6 for $720 or $30 per month for 24 months as per the network's payment plan. In addition to a free Google Home, AT&T is also offering a second LG G6 for free when starting a new service line.

Google Home, the search engine's rival to Amazon's Echo smart speaker, could finally be arriving in the UK. The technology giant launched the voice-activated device in the US last October but is yet to extend its release outside of the country. But a cryptic invitation sent out to members of the UK press suggests a product launch taking place at the end of March could be for the much anticipated device. Google Home (pictured) could finally be coming to the UK, if hints within a cryptic product launch announced by the search engine are to be believed. The invite, for an event dated March 28, asks journalists to'Please join us for some exciting announcements.'

Now you can talk to Amazon's intelligent assistant whenever you use the Amazon app on your iPhone. Alexa will be able to do much more than just deal with your Amazon account, like play songs from Amazon Music, give you news updates, or even tell a (bad) joke or two. You'll also be able to use any of your previously enabled skills that are available within the Alexa ecosystem. According to Amazon, the one thing you won't be able to do just yet is to ask Alexa to open your door locks with your voice.

"By the way, Disney's live action Beauty and The Beast opens today," it says, amid your daily info dump. "In this version of the story, Belle is the inventor instead of Maurice. That rings truer if you ask me. For some more movie fun, ask me something about Belle." It isn't too unique -- Rokus, Xboxes and even some Panasonic TVs have displayed ads for awhile -- but given that advertising is one of Google's biggest moneymakers, this could become more widespread.

Home, as you likely know by now, is Google's Echo-like AI voice helper that uses Google Assistant instead of Amazon's Alexa. Given that it just launched recently, it has limited capabilities compared to the rival device, but it does use Google's massive and sophisticated search engine -- for better or for worse. Up until now, you could only access Assistant via Home, Google's Allo chat app and Pixel phones, but the search giant recently announced that it would roll out to other recent Android phones as well. T-Mobile carriers will pay $26 down and $26 a month for two years for a total $650 price, while AT&T will let buyers have it via the Next phone trade-up program for $24 a month over 30 months. However, AT&T is also throwing in a second LG G6, assuming you add an additional line on your Next program, and giving buyers the option to pick up an LG Watch Sport for $50.

Machine learning, task automation and robotics are already widely used in business. These and other AI technologies are about to multiply, and we look at how organizations can best take advantage of them. Businesses are scrambling to use artificial intelligence and trying to work out how best to put digital assistants to work. Consumers are wondering what impact these new technologies will have on their everyday lives. From business to leisure, we interact with AI when we use an app to turn on a light bulb, talk to Google Home or Amazon Alexa, or write better emails.

Samsung's'make or break' Galaxy S8 smartphone will have a smart assistant called Bixby to take on Apple's Siri, the firm has accidentally revealed on its own website. An Italian page found on the Samsung website clearly states'comandi vocali con Bixby', which means'voice commands with Bixby' when translated into English. Bixby is believed to be central to Samsung's plan for the S8, with the handset even having a dedicated button for the assistant. Samsung's Galaxy S7: The latest version of its flagship phone will come in two sizes, both with curved screens. An Italian page found on the Samsung website clearly states'comandi vocali con Bixby', which means'voice commands with Bixby' when translated into English. Bixby could be used for a wide variety of functions in a similar way to Apple's Siri.

I like to decorate for Halloween, including various talking skeletons that I've set up over the years,