The voices of virtual assistants are usually female, but they don't necessarily have to be, at least in some cases.
Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana don't offer the option of a male voice, but others do. Here's how to activate them:
Google Assistant: On Android smartphones and tablets, keep the Home button pressed until the Assistant opens. For iOS mobile devices, open the Google Assistant app.
Then tap the top right of the three-point menu or the profile picture, and in the settings go into Assistant > Assistant Voice.
For smart speakers with Google Assistant, you can access the same setting in the Google Home app.
Apple's Siri: On iPhones and iPads, go into Settings > Siri & Search > Language to switch from the female voice to a male one. On Mac computers (macOS Sierra or later), go into System Preferences under the Apple menu and then select Siri > Siri Voice. Apple's smartwatches automatically pick up the voice set on the iPhone.
Samsung's Bixby: If you have a new Galaxy S or Note smartphone, you can use Samsung's voice assistant Bixby Voice – and you can decide whether the voice is female or male. From Bixby Home, go to More Options > Settings > Language and speaking style. – dpa
