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How Voice Assistants Work

Your speaker listens for a wake word, then sends your request to servers.

Step by step

  1. Listens for the wake word.
  2. Records your request.
  3. Sends it to servers.
  4. Answers.
  5. Keeps history, depending on settings.

What to expect

Expect an explanation of wake words, cloud processing and the privacy settings in your device app.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not assume they only hear commands. Avoid placing speakers in private rooms if you are uncomfortable.

A good next step

Review and delete voice history in your device app.

A worked example

A reader asks what happens when she says the wake word. AI explains the device listens for the phrase, sends the request to servers and plays the answer. She opens the app, finds her voice history and deletes recordings from last month.

A prompt you can copy

Type this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini

Explain how a smart speaker works and how to review and delete my voice recordings.

Good to know. Check your device app for privacy controls.

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Common questions

Is it always recording?

It listens locally for the wake word.

Can I mute it?

Yes.

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