What is Voice Integration?
The first question in our mind is simple: what is voice
integration? If you aren’t already familiar, voice integration is the act of
using voice recognition software to seamlessly work with outside platforms for
a streamlined process. Common examples of voice
recognition include Google
Voice, Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, and Apple’s Siri.
Each of these programs are trained to learn patterns in
speech and then recognize commands and questions in order to find solutions.
While this process has taken awhile to perfect, Google’s machine learning
algorithms have reached 95%
word accuracy for the
English language. This is the brilliance of the technology, as the program is
continuously receiving new data and learning from its own mistakes to perfect
the process.
What are the causes people shift towards voice?
The main driver of the shift towards voice user interfaces is the
changing user demands. There is an increased overall awareness and a higher
level of comfort demonstrated specifically by millennial consumers. In this
ever-evolving digital world where speed, efficiency, and convenience are
constantly being optimized.
The mass
adoption of artificial intelligence in user’s everyday lives is also fueling
the shift towards voice applications. The number of IoT devices such as smart lights,
appliances, and speakers are giving voice assistants more utility in a
connected user’s life. Smart speakers are the number one way we are seeing
voice being used; however, it only starts there. Many industry experts even predict
that nearly every application will integrate voice technology in some way in
the next 5 years.
Applications
of this technology are seen everywhere, so where will it take us in 2020 and
beyond? We provide a high-level overview of the potential that voice integration
going up in the coming years.
Compatibility and Integration:
When
it comes to integrating voice technology with other products, Amazon has been
ahead of the game. Those who use Alexa will be familiar with the fact that the
voice assistant is already integrated into a vast array of products including
Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerators. Google has finally caught on and has
announced Google Assistant Connect. The idea behind this technology is for
manufacturers to create custom devices that serve specific functions and are
integrated with the Assistant.
Individual Experience:
Voice
assistants will also continue to offer more individualized experiences as they
get better at differentiating between voices. Google Home is able to support up
to six user accounts and detect unique voices, which allows Google Home users
to customize many features. Users can ask “What’s on my calendar today?” or
“tell me about my day?” and the assistant will dictate commute times, weather,
and news information for individual users. It also includes features such as
nicknames, work locations, payment information, and linked accounts such as
Google Play, Spotify, and Netflix. Similarly, for those using Alexa, simply
saying “learn my voice” will allow users to create separate voice profiles so
the technology can detect who is speaking for more individualized experiences.
Search Behaviour Will Change:
Voice
search has been a hot topic of discussion. Visibility of voice will undoubtedly
be a challenge. This is because the visual interface with voice assistants is
missing. Users simply cannot see or touch a voice interface unless it is
connected to the Alexa or Google Assistant app. Search behaviors, in turn, will
see a big change. In fact, if tech research firm Juniper
Research is correct, voice-based ad revenue could reach $19 billion by 2022,
thanks in large part to the growth of voice search apps on mobile devices.
Brands are now
experiencing a shift in which touchpoints are transforming to listening points,
and organic search will be the main way in which brands have visibility.
comScore data even reveals that 50% of
all search will be via voice tech by 2020.
As voice
search grows in popularity, advertising agencies and marketers expect Google
and Amazon will open their platforms to additional forms of paid messages.
Streamlined Communication:
Both Google and Amazon recently announced
that both assistants will no longer require the use of repeated “wake” words.
Previously both assistants were dependent on a wake word (Alexa or Ok, Google)
to initiate a new line of conversation. For example, one would have to ask
“Alexa, what’s the current temperature at the hallway thermostat?” and then
have to say, “Alexa” again before requesting that the voice assistant to “set
the hallway thermostat to 23 degrees.” It would be more convenient and natural
for the user to say, “Alexa, what’s the current temperature at the hallway
thermostat?” and then simply say “set my hallway thermostat to 23 degrees,”
without requiring the wake word again, and now that’s possible.
Consumers
use voice assistants in specific locations, usually while multitasking, and can
either be alone or amongst a group of people when using them. Having devices
that can decipher these contextual factors make a conversation more convenient
and efficient with these devices, but it also shows that developers behind the
technology are aiming to provide a more user-centric experience.
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