What do we call computer helpers that can talk and answer like a friend?

AI assistants are the computer helpers that can talk and answer like a friend, using programs trained to understand spoken or typed questions and respond with helpful information, jokes, or directions. They work by analyzing patterns in huge amounts of language to figure out a sensible, useful reply to whatever someone asks.

Paper maps and wooden blocks are simple physical objects with no ability to listen, understand, or talk back, so neither one could ever answer a question the way a smart digital assistant does.

These assistants have become common enough that many people now ask them everyday questions, like the weather or a fun fact, the same way they might ask a friend sitting nearby.