Maria Diaz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Virtual assistants will soon be as commonplace as smartphones -- in many parts of the world, they already are. Most smartphones have a built-in assistant powered by artificial intelligence (AI), whether it's Siri in iPhones or Google Assistant (now Gemini) in Android phones. Inside our homes, though, Amazon Alexa has become the most popular virtual assistant in the US and around the world, as a widely adopted virtual assistant. Users from various countries outside the US keep Echo devices in their homes with Alexa set to different languages. Also: Amazon fall hardware event live blog: Latest updates on Alexa, Fire TV, Echo, and more I've been using Alexa for a few years, and here are some ways that the assistant has changed the way I manage my smart home and use my Echo devices. 1. Become a lighting assistant Each time I enter my bedroom's en-suite bathroom, an Echo Dot greets me by turning on the lights and saying, "Hello, gorgeous." The Echo Dot's occupancy sensor detects when someone is near and runs the routine of switching on the lights and saying the phrase. Also: Everything you need to know about Alexa+, Amazon's generative AI assistant I have a smart wall light switch with a built-in motion sensor that turns on at night each time the headlights of a car are spotted on the window opposite it. Aside from getting creeped out when my bathroom lights randomly turned on at four in the morning, it was getting annoying, so I delegated the task to Alexa. 2. Streamline your nightly routines Maria Diaz/ZDNET You've probably heard of the "Alexa, good night" routine for turning off your smart lights. However, there are many ways to use this approach and create multiple routines for each bedroom or area in your home. For our main living area, I have a lights-out routine that switches off the living room, kitchen, office, and outdoor lights. This task is completed using smart lights and smart plugs. Also: All your Alexa recordings will go to the cloud soon, as Amazon sunsets Echo privacy Our kids' room has its own routine. When we say, "Alexa, it's bedtime," their sound machine turns on (powered by a smart plug), their bedside lamp switches off, and their smart light strip turns on to 2% brightness, operating as a night light. When I'm ready for bed, another Alexa command switches off my smart lights, turns on the smart plug on my fan, and sets my smart air purifier into sleep mode. 3. Find my phone I often seem to lose my phone when my Apple Watch is dead, but a quick word to Alexa easily solves that. I can just say, "Alexa, find my phone," and the voice assistant initiates a phone call to ring it. 4. Make Alexa your landline Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET Alexa works for my family much like a landline used to work in my home growing up. Whenever I'm out and can't reach my husband if he's busy with the kids, I can call one of my Echo devices or make an announcement to get in touch with them. 5. Prompt your kids to the next task In the mornings, my kids have an alarm and morning routine that's set through Alexa on their Echo Show, which helps wake them before school. Weekday mornings are busy in my house, as I'm packing lunches and snacks while my little ones are getting dressed, so Alexa nudges them to the next task. Also: Amazon's new AI agent can make an ad from start to finish - how to try it A few minutes after their alarm goes off, Alexa switches their lights to daylight white in 100% brightness and tells my kids, "Let's get ready for school." Some time later, it says, "Okay, it's time to go downstairs." This prompt helps my kids stay on task so they're ready to go, and with their beds made, at the right time. 6. Track your packages Alexa can track your Amazon orders from an Echo device by simply asking, "Alexa, where are my packages?" The virtual assistant then informs you about the current status of your orders in the shipping process and when you can expect them to arrive at your door. 7. Let others know when you're busy I have several smart lights and a smart air purifier in my home office, and I've set up routines to let others know when I'm on a call, busy, or when I have to focus on tasks: If I say, "Alexa, I'm making a video," the smart lights turn green to become my video background. Saying, "Alexa, I'm on a call," makes the lights switch to red so anyone who passes by knows not to interrupt me. When I need to focus, I say, "Alexa, it's work time," and my lights turn a soft white and the smart air purifier switches on, which is pretty helpful for combating pet dander, as I share the home office with our dog. 8. Multiple timers at once Maria Diaz/ZDNET The Echo Show 21 is my kitchen companion, thanks to its large display that doubles as a Fire TV, strong speakers, and built-in Alexa. I use the device to ask Alexa for recipes and set multiple timers for different things simultaneously. Also: How to get access to Alexa+ for free right now (and which Echo devices support it) If I'm baking and cooking at the same time, it's easy to ask Alexa to keep a cupcake timer, a chili timer, and more. The voice assistant then tracks the multiple timers by name and lets you know which one is ready. 9. Make your choices more fun Many of us use Alexa for fun stuff, such as hearing a joke, learning a fact, or getting definitions. However, you can also ask Alexa to make lighthearted decisions for you. Are you and your partner split on what to eat for dinner? Ask Alexa to flip a coin. If your kids are voting about what game to play for game night, ask Alexa to roll a die. If you enable the Spin the Wheel skill, you can even give Alexa up to 10 names and ask it to spin the wheel to choose one at random. 10. Act as a white noise machine An Echo speaker can become a white noise machine, and Alexa can play various sounds, from thunderstorms to brown noise. You can add the feature to your nightly routine or ask the voice assistant for it on the fly. 11. Make routines your go-to commands Skip simple "turn on the bedside lamp" commands and instead make routines become your go-to Alexa prompts. You can create routines that are as simple or as intricate as you'd like. For example, create an out-the-door routine that switches off all your devices, except when you say, "Alexa, I'm headed out," or an opposite one to greet you as you come home. Also: Amazon just gave Alexa its biggest upgrade since debut - and you'll want an Echo Show for it When I watch movies, I like to have the living room lights dimmed or off, and the Nanoleaf 4D mirroring my TV. Instead of having to take each action, I have routines set up that run the full process. 12. Substitute ingredients and measurements As a go-to cooking companion, Alexa can easily offer ingredient substitutions and measurement adaptations, allowing you to adjust your recipes to what you have at home as needed. For example, you can ask Alexa how many tablespoons are in ⅓ cup, or what you can use in place of butter in a cake. 13. Read a bedtime story Maria Diaz/ZDNET My kids love their bedtime story, especially made-up ones from their dad (Peter Pants is currently a big hit in my home). Thankfully, Alexa can also help. The Amazon Kids+ subscription, which comes free for a period when you buy a kids' Amazon device, lets you activate a Hey Disney skill that includes plenty of Disney stories and soundscapes. An Echo device also lets you access Audible stories. You can ask Alexa for these short stories, narrated by charming characters that are sure to offer screen–free entertainment for your kids. 14. Use in case of emergency Alexa can be more than a voice assistant -- as I mentioned above, it can also act like a landline, and, with Alexa Emergency Assist, it can call for help when needed. One of my biggest worries about not having a landline is how my kids will call 911 in case of an emergency. I've taught my oldest kid to do it on my phone, and I've put papers with our phone numbers and address in a few spots around the house, but Alexa Emergency Assist alleviates this worry in the best way. A $5.99 monthly membership gives my family seamless 24/7 access to emergency services through Alexa. This approach is perfect if my husband or I were to require help while watching our younger kids. They know that if an emergency occurs, simply saying "Alexa, call for help," gets them in touch with an agent, who can dispatch first responders to their home. They don't even have to give them the address or anything else -- all of this information is saved in your profile when you set up the service. The service gives me peace of mind that I wouldn't even need to search for my phone if something were to happen; just using my voice is enough. The subscription also alerts your pre-selected emergency contacts when help is called, making the service a good fit for seniors who are at risk of falls and spend time alone at home. Also: In 2 years, half of all service calls will be resolved by AI - survey You can even store medical information, including allergies or pre-existing conditions, and add gate codes and pet data. The subscription also allows your Echo devices to detect sounds, such as smoke alarms and glass breaking. 15. Handle your pet care Smart pet feeders have been a game-changer for my dog, especially with how busy our lives can be. These inexpensive devices make a big difference in my dog's day-to-day life and connect easily to third-party voice assistants, such as Alexa and Google. This approach makes it easy to ask Alexa to feed my dog as needed, or set up routines to feed him when the backyard lights come on, for example. I can also pair the smart feeder with other devices, so Alexa switches on the lights in his area and feeds him in the early morning. 16. Be an intercom I moved from a starter home to a five-bedroom fixer-upper (more of a money pit, but that's a story for another day), and I often joked with my husband that we'd need an intercom system when we moved in. Lo and behold, I now use Alexa and the various Echo devices at home as my intercom. Alexa can make announcements to all devices, but it can also send messages and drop in on devices, so when I'm in the kitchen and my kids and husband are spread out between the office, bedrooms, and playroom, I say "Alexa, announce that dinner is ready," and everyone gets the message. I make similar announcements for bedtime or when it's time to head out the door, and they reach all my devices.