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When the iPhone spoke with the voice of Siri in 2011, no one could predict how it would impact technological development. Just eleven years later, it was estimated that 62% of adult Americans use voicebots. Check out the direction this trend is heading.
What are voicebots? What is voice search?
Voice search is more or less what it sounds like - using your voice to ask questions or give commands to a smartphone, smart speaker, or other device. You simply start speaking to the device, and it will answer your question or perform the requested task.
Meanwhile, voicebots are special programs that can:
- recognize humans using speech recognition technology and natural language processing;
- "translate" words into machine commands;
- perform the tasks assigned to them.
Over time, they also become smarter - the more you interact with the voicebot, the better it can understand your preferences and tailor its actions to your expectations.
Voicebots like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have become an integral part of our daily lives. These intelligent systems, controlled by voice commands, help us with many tasks: from checking the weather forecast to controlling smart home devices. However, this is just the beginning of the revolution brought by voicebots. Everything indicates that in the coming years, this technology will develop dynamically and become an inseparable part of our lives.
The history and development of voicebots
The first speech recognition systems appeared in the 1950s. However, they were far from perfect - they could only recognize single words.
The breakthrough came with the introduction of Siri by Apple in 2011, which was the first to offer advanced voice interaction. Since then, voicebot technology has been constantly advancing, with companies like Amazon and Google competing to design new solutions.
The evolution of voicebots is a transition from simple commands to increasingly advanced and natural interaction. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, voice assistants can not only recognize words but also understand the context of statements and conduct free-flowing conversations.
How do we use voicebots today?
Today, voicebots accompany us in many areas of our lives. At home, they help us control smart home devices like lighting, heating, or home entertainment systems. They also make managing daily tasks and responsibilities easier by reminding us of important dates or creating shopping lists.
However, their role is not limited to supporting daily chores. They are also used in medicine - they can monitor patients' health, remind them to take medications, or call for help in emergencies. Voice response systems are particularly useful for the elderly and disabled, and can even save their lives.
Voicebots are also playing an increasingly significant role in education. They help students with their homework and search for necessary information and educational materials. It is already believed that in the future, they may become an integral part of the teaching process.
We wrote more extensively about the use of artificial intelligence in the EdTech sector in this article.
Implementing AI technology into voicebots
The key to the development of voicebots is artificial intelligence. Thanks to natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, assistants are becoming more advanced - they can better understand human speech and users' intentions.
What does the process of implementing AI into assistants look like? First, large datasets of voice data are collected and then analyzed. Based on these, AI models are created, which, after proper training, can recognize and interpret human speech. The more data, the better the algorithms work.
An important step is integrating artificial intelligence with existing systems such as IoT devices. This is necessary for voicebots to communicate efficiently with our smartphones, TVs, and even refrigerators or washing machines. However, this comes with certain challenges - ensuring compatibility and scalability so the assistant can work flawlessly and utilize its full potential.
Voicebots with AI support gain new, advanced features. They can recognize the context of statements and users' intentions, as well as personalize their responses based on the history of previous interactions.
For example, an intelligent assistant might remember that the user often orders pizza on Friday evenings. When the user asks:
- "what to eat for dinner?",
the assistant might reply:
- "how about pizza from your favorite place 'At Mark's'? You usually order a margherita with extra cheese and olives. Shall I place the order?".
The future of voicebots
Already today, 71% of consumers prefer voice search over manual typing, but this currently mainly applies to simple tasks like writing SMS or emails. However, as voicebots develop and understand context much better, they will be entrusted with increasingly complex tasks.
In business, they can assist in time management, reminding of important dates or meetings. Instead of manually entering events into a calendar, you just tell the assistant to schedule a meeting at a specific time. The assistant will also ensure to remind you of the upcoming event at the appropriate time.
And what about taking notes and filling out documentation? Why manually note information during meetings or phone calls if you can just ask the assistant to save the key points, and then quickly search for them using voice commands. This would save a lot of time and effort needed to sift through documents.
With real-time translation capabilities, voicebots can also help break down communication barriers in remote work. According to data, up to 76% of consumers prefer to buy products described in their native language. Companies that invested in translations had a 1,5 times greater chance of revenue growth.
Voicebots equipped with translation functions will enable efficient communication with foreign business partners or customers - even with limited language skills.
How will voicebots help in everyday life?
In the near future, voicebots are expected to take on a more proactive role. Instead of just waiting for user commands, they will gather context-specific information. Then they will take the initiative themselves, providing the user with helpful suggestions.
For example, people might interact with their voicebots in the car to get information about:
- fuel level;
- diagnostics;
- service needs;
- system settings that may require adjustment.
So when the fuel level is low, the assistant will suggest going to the nearest gas station - setting the route in the GPS if necessary.
Moreover, the voicebots in the car could be connected to intelligent home systems by integrating them with IoT devices or home automation systems. This would allow car owners to turn off the lights and set the alarm after leaving the house or turn on the heating before returning home.
It can be assumed that in some time voicebots will also be able to authenticate purchases by recognizing the voice and matching it to a specific credit card or bank account. Users will be able to pay for their orders simply by using voice commands - the voicebot will only ask them to confirm the payment.
Challenges and limitations
The development of voicebots also brings certain challenges and risks. Here are the key ones to be aware of:
- Privacy and data security. Voicebots collect a lot of information about us. Therefore, these data need to be secured and legal regulations in this area must be followed.
- Reliability in an unfriendly environment. Today's assistants do not always perform well in difficult conditions, such as noisy environments or with different accents and dialects. Speech recognition algorithms still have a lot of room for improvement here.
- Dependency on technology. AI assistance should not replace contact with other people and interpersonal relationships. Assistants should be treated as helpful tools, not replacements for real social interactions.
Practical use
Already today, you can find many examples of successful implementation of voicebots in daily life. For example, in one family, parents allow their children to ask Siri about the weather before going to school, which helps them choose appropriate clothing.
The same family uses the Google Home Hub in the kitchen to search for and read recipes, finding it much more convenient than a tablet.
The automotive industry is also seeing growing interest in voicebots. Mercedes-Benz is integrating ChatGPT with its voice control system in its vehicles, expanding the "Hey Mercedes" feature. Meanwhile, BMW is introducing its own assistant into its cars - similar plans are gradually being implemented by KIA and Hyundai.
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Future development directions
In the coming years, we can expect further dynamic development of voicebot technology. Trends point to increasing integration with IoT devices and smart home systems, as well as development towards even more natural and contextual interaction with the user.
Predicted innovations, such as advancements in natural language processing and AI-based personalization, could completely change the way we communicate with technology. Voicebots will become our personal companions, adapting to our needs and preferences.
The development of voicebots will also have a significant impact on various sectors of the economy:
- in education - they can become excellent support in building individual learning programs;
- in healthcare - they will monitor patients' conditions and offer them advice;
- in business - they will advance customer service processes.
The role of voicebots will grow
Voicebots are a fascinating technology that is already changing our lives, and this trend is sure to continue in the coming years.
Combined with AI, they will become versatile helpers for people - at home, work, in the car, or at school. They will take care of your health, safety, and comfort, performing many tasks for you and making daily chores easier.
Of course, the development of this technology also brings certain challenges, related to privacy or the risk of excessive dependence. However, appropriately used and developed, voicebot technology has the potential to significantly improve our quality of life.
One thing is certain - intelligent voicebots are our near future. A future where you just have to say "Hey Siri, make me a coffee" to enjoy an aromatic brew in the morning.
