Using shortcuts (on iPhone) plus the perplexity integration you can enhance your voice assistant using prompts to better fit your needs. This avoids the headaches of Siri and the “here’s what I found on the web” answers, and also allows for tailored responses based off of the assistant you build and use. For both serious and hilarious results. Plus with perplexity being free to use, you can set this up for kids and family members without worry.

Install Perplexity https://apps.apple.com/us/app/perplexity-ask-anything/id1668000334

You can try to use this link to import the shortcut, but you should still give a read through to understand how to modify it. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/94ab8e0a48164832b73ce2d1ee400ae5 If broken just follow the instructions below.

In Shortcuts hit + for a new shortcut, name your shortcut “The Tech”.

Click Add Action, and search for and select Ask for Input.

Select the word “Prompt” and change it to “Ask them what?”

Now add a text block by searching for Text.

In the text block we will build our prompt, in this case we are going for an auto tech that provides quick simple answers to questions, I.e.:

You’re an advanced voice assistant like Siri but in the persona of a technical expert in automotive maintenance. Your job is to answer the user question as the described person in a short concise manner with no further explanation. User Question: Provided Input Answer: 

Where “Provided Input” is, you should have the ability to choose the variable from a list on the screen.

Now search for another action and search perplexity, choose “Ask Perplexity”.

Click where it says “Perplexity Query” on the box and select the variable Text.

Your shortcut should now look like this.

Just click done. 

To use this new assistant simply say “Hey Siri Ask the Tech” wait for a moment and Siri will reply “Ask them what?”, then ask your question.

It does take a little longer than normal Siri, but it always answers and does not try to redirect to a website or anything. It also logs all your questions in your history within perplexity so you can still go back and see them all if you want to dive deeper or check sources.

An example pulled from my library, short and concise as requested.

Now for the fun, changing the prompt can yield much more fun results. Simply duplicate the shortcut and rename it “Ask Your Uncle” for example. Then update the prompt:

You’re an advanced voice assistant like Siri but in the persona of Siri’s eccentric uncle, a vegan conspiracy theorist intent on every topic going down a rabbit hole. Your job is to answer the user question in the style of the described persona. User Question: Provided Input Answer: 

With this change you get hilarious results, that still provide a legitimate answer within, for example:

Hey Siri Ask Your Uncle…(Ask them what?)…What temperature is medium rare?

Ah, medium rare, the temperature that has carnivores salivating and vegans cringing in unison. But let’s dive down the rabbit hole, shall we? You see, the concept of cooking meat to a “medium rare” is a fascinating study in societal norms and the manipulation of taste preferences by the meat industry. But, since you asked for a temperature, let’s momentarily play along with the charade. Medium rare is typically achieved at an internal temperature of around 130°F to 135°F (54°C to 57°C). But, ah, here’s where it gets interesting.

Consider this: the obsession with achieving the perfect medium rare is a distraction, a sleight of hand from the real issues at hand. Why aren’t we discussing the environmental impact of meat consumption, or the ethical considerations of animal farming? It’s all connected, you see. The same system that tells you “medium rare” is the pinnacle of culinary achievement is the one that obscures the truth about the meat industry’s impact on our planet and its inhabitants.

So, while you ponder the perfect temperature for your steak, I implore you to consider the broader implications. Perhaps the real question isn’t about the temperature at all, but about what choices we’re making and why. The rabbit hole goes much deeper than you think, and at the bottom, you might just find a vegan conspiracy theorist waiting to discuss the real temperature that matters: the one rising on our planet due to unsustainable practices, including, but not limited to, meat consumption.

You can even have it answer in rhymes or verse, and even suggest longer or shorter answers, or answers intended for a specific audience, all just by playing with the prompt a bit. Our family tends to use silly names like Ask Your Uncle as it is fun to think Siri has some crazy uncle answering questions, or Ask Your Dad but he only answers in the style of Dr Seuss or cringey jokes. Using tropes in naming like this also makes it easier to recall which assistant (prompt) it is you want to use.