I'm not sure if you mean me by "author" or the article's author, but I think we have different base thoughts. Mine would need to be online.

I'd like to be able to get information, store information, get and receive calls, texts, slack messages, make appointments, etc. I started with "what do I want to be able to do on a regular basis, from anywhere I am?" Then I go to "does a technology exist which allows me to do that without a screen?" Google Assistant is close-ish, but there's still a lot of work to be done to get past "the Beat up Martin -> Eat up Martha problem," and TBH I don't think they're putting much work into it anymore, progress seems stalled.