Preface

Intelligent machines and computers have been developed to reduce time consumption and human efforts, improve safety, and increase the quality of products. Having virtual assistants (VAs) can play a critical role in using intelligent machines practically to complete projects efficiently. With the fast-growing technologies in the field, we have finally reached a stage where almost all the people living in developed and developing countries have access to these high technologies. However, this is just the starting point, and a long journey is ahead because future developments are taking a more advanced route in the shape of artificial intelligence (AI). Intelligent VAs use AI, and any improvement in AI potentially can develop VA-related technologies.

The main reason for using VAs is to replace humans with machines for completing repeatable tasks. This approach can give freedom to people to improve their innovations and find optimum solutions for personal and professional challenges. Previously, machines were doing what they were programmed to do, but now with AI, devices can think and behave like humans. This opportunity can help people to trust machines as VAs.

High-tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, Accenture, and IBM are very involved in research to develop the knowledge that has produced the new generation of VAs. Although VAs will form our future, we need to know how they affect our work and lifestyle. Thus, this book gives readers a glimpse of the role of VAs in shaping the future world.

This book contains seven chapters that discuss AI and VAs. Examples and scientific detail support the presented information. The chapters have been drafted to provide enough technical information for both general and professional readers.

Chapter 1 introduces VAs and includes a review of the scientific background of VA development from 1910 to the present. This chapter contains a detail of interaction methods in VA technology and related services. It also discusses the ethical implications of VA technology and compares notable VAs available in the market and discusses their economic relevance for individuals and enterprises. The chapter addresses security concerns and clarifies the definition of virtual human assistants.

Chapter 2 is about generating the voice of the interactive virtual assistant (IVA). It presents an overview of the current approaches for generating spoken content using text-to-speech synthesis (TTS) systems and thus the voice of an IVA. The overview builds upon the issues that make spoken content generation a non-trivial task and introduces the two main components of a TTS system: text processing and acoustic modeling. It then focuses on providing the reader with the minimally required scientific details of the terminology and methods involved in speech synthesis, yet with sufficient knowledge to make the initial decisions regarding the choice of technology for the vocal identity of the IVA.

In Chapter 3, an IT manager from IBM discusses the use of VAs and related ethical challenges. VAs are becoming a part of our daily lives, both in our homes and our workplaces. Sometimes we may not even know that the customer service agent we are speaking with is a VA. These assistants continuously collect information from our interactions and learn many things about us. The information they gather over time is enormous. This chapter introduces the concept of ethics and discusses the ethical principles of VAs (transparency, justice and fairness, non-maleficence, responsibility, and privacy). Although there is limited regulation governing VAs, practical guidelines and recommendations are provided for designers and developers to understand the ethical implications when building a VA. The chapter also discusses technology and learning techniques for VAs and presents examples of how to ensure they are ethical.

Chapter 4 covers type-theoretic human-AI collaboration. In today's information age, we work under the constant drive to be more productive, and we certainly progress towards being an AI-augmented workforce where each of us is augmented by VAs and work together with each other (and their AI assistants) at scale. To achieve this, a framework should facilitate communication across a network of different humans and machines. As advancements in AI (narrow or general) models continue, we will invariably reach a stage where humans and AI co-exist in an interactive and personalized manner, which is different from today's largely invisible AI that mainly operates autonomously in the background. In this chapter, the authors discuss their proposed framework designed to collaborate within a network of humans and VAs. To collaborate, we need a language and a framework. In the context of humans, a human language suffices to describe and orchestrate our intents with others. This, however, is insufficient in the context of humans and machines. Therefore, this framework is built upon type theory (a branch of symbolic logic in mathematics), enabling the type of theoretic description, composition, and orchestration of intent and implementations for an AI-augmented workforce.

In Chapter 5, a research team from the University of L'Aquila, Italy discusses AI-powered VAs in banking and financial services. The chapter provides a framework for analysis of evolutionary trends in finance that have to do with technological progress, especially with AI applications. The starting point can be identified with a survey on how AI has modified the business areas involving banking and financial services and on what can be expected, in terms of future strategic shifts and behavioral changes, on both the supply and demand sides. The next step revolves around a wider and deeper investigation into the role that VAs have started to, and are likely to further, play in the areas under scrutiny. Special attention is paid to the provision of enhanced customer service support, including conversational AI and sound branding.

Chapter 6 presents the specific wear rate (SWR) modeling of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites via Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) tools. The ANN and ANFIS models have been recognized as potential and good tools for mathematical modeling of composite materials' complex and nonlinear behavior of SWR. This study examines the modeling and prediction of SWRs of PTFE composites using the ANFIS model. In addition, it compares the performances of the models with the conventional multilinear regression model.

Chapter 7 examines a critical challenge in digital banking: phishing attacks. A phishing attack is one of the most common forms of cybercrime worldwide.

**V**

In recent years, phishing attacks have continued to escalate in severity, frequency, and impact. Globally, the attacks cause billions of dollars of losses each year. Cybercriminals use phishing for various illicit activities such as personal identity theft and fraud and to perpetrate sophisticated corporate-level attacks against financial institutions, healthcare providers, government agencies, and businesses. Several solutions using various methodologies have been proposed in the literature to counter web-phishing threats. This chapter adopts a novel strategy for detecting and preventing website phishing attacks, with practical implementation via a

This book gives readers a better vision of the application of VAs in the digital era. The authors hope that this volume will be a valuable resource for individuals and companies interested in using new technologies to improve their personal and professional lives. The chapters in this volume present the state of the art of VAs and AI. The breadth and depth of coverage make this volume a useful resource for researchers in academia and industrial specialists. The editor hopes that this book will spur further discussions on using VA technology in different industries.

**Ali Soofastaei**

Brisbane, Australia

Vale,

Artificial Intelligence Center,

browser toolbar add-in.

In recent years, phishing attacks have continued to escalate in severity, frequency, and impact. Globally, the attacks cause billions of dollars of losses each year. Cybercriminals use phishing for various illicit activities such as personal identity theft and fraud and to perpetrate sophisticated corporate-level attacks against financial institutions, healthcare providers, government agencies, and businesses. Several solutions using various methodologies have been proposed in the literature to counter web-phishing threats. This chapter adopts a novel strategy for detecting and preventing website phishing attacks, with practical implementation via a browser toolbar add-in.

This book gives readers a better vision of the application of VAs in the digital era. The authors hope that this volume will be a valuable resource for individuals and companies interested in using new technologies to improve their personal and professional lives. The chapters in this volume present the state of the art of VAs and AI. The breadth and depth of coverage make this volume a useful resource for researchers in academia and industrial specialists. The editor hopes that this book will spur further discussions on using VA technology in different industries.

> **Ali Soofastaei** Artificial Intelligence Center, Vale, Brisbane, Australia
