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When it comes to personal assistant apps, Google and Apple lead the way with their Now and Siri services.

But Google may be trying to establish itself even further in the market, and steal an edge on its rival, following the purchase of Emu.

Emu is similar to Google Now because it predicts what users want to do next, and offers relevant help - but it goes one step further. 

The firm claims the Emu app uses artificial intelligence to learn behaviours and fine tune suggestions in real time.

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Emu (pictured) is similar to Google Now because it predicts what users want to do next, and offers relevant help, but it goes one step further. The firm claims the Emu app uses artificial intelligence to learn behaviours and fine tune suggestions in real time, using contextual information.

For example, Google Now alerts people to an upcoming flight, and informs them of traffic or public transport conditions before they leave.

It can also remind people to take an umbrella, if it looks like it's going to rain.

Emu additionally scans and monitors conversations, in real time, to offer these suggestions automatically, and with context. 

If a friend asks a user where they are, Emu can send the location on a map, or if a friend asks to meet up on a particular day, Emu will check the user's calendar to see if they're free automatically.

Location details can even be updated, live, for 30 minutes.

All the recommendations are based on contextual information it obtains from a person's phone.

Emu was founded in 2012 by California-based ex-Google and Apple employee Gummi Hafsteinsson.

Its 'machine learning' capabilities could provide Google Now with added context and faster response times, across different devices.

The Emu team confirmed the acquisition in a blog post on Wednesday: 'Hey, did you hear? We're joining Google!

'That's right! And we're super-excited. But to focus on our next chapter, we have to close the last one.

'As of August 25, 2014, we'll be shutting down the Emu app.

'It will no longer be available in the App Store, and existing users won't be able to send, receive, or download messages. We know it's an inconvenience, and we regret that.

'To our friends, advisors, and users: we've learned so much with your help, and we're grateful for all your support.'

See how Emu stacks up against the competition

Emu's 'machine learning' capabilities could provide Google Now (pictured) with added context and faster response times, across different devices. The acquistion was confirmed in a blog post on Wednesday, but details of the deal have not been revealed

It is not known how much Google paid for Emu, and MailOnline has contacted the company for more information. 

This isn't Google's first foray into artificial intelligence.

In January, the firm bought artificial intelligence firm DeepMind.

Its Hummingbird search update last year was created to make Google 'more human', and searches can now understand context, like a human brain, for example.

Google also hired futurist Ray Kurzweil as Engineering Director in 2012.

Kurzweil has famously claimed that in just over 30 years, humans will be able to upload their entire minds to computers and become digitally immortal - an event called singularity.

He also claimed the biological parts of our body will be replaced with mechanical parts and this could happen as early as 2100.