Podim: How Will Voice Change Our Lives?

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Podim: How Will Voice Change Our Lives?

Date: May 15^th 2018

Author: Alenka Lena Klopčič

Category: En.vision

Topic: New technologies

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and corporations need to realise this for they can use its benefits – starting with voice – to their advantage in very clever ways, said Chuck Goldman, the CEO of VUI (‘Voice User Interface’), in his keynote today at the Podim Conference 2018 in Maribor, Slovenia. Meanwhile, James Haliburton of TOPP Design & Innovation, Sweden, illustrated how devices are already effectively carrying out tasks and chores for people, for instance the Google Assistant booking hair salon appointments.

David Rose, a visiting scientist at the MIT Media Lab, is somewhat less optimistic, saying that a lot still needs to be done to improve ‘voice’ as a medium that can play the significant role some already associate it with.

However, Rose agreed with Goldman and Haliburton that voice technology can be used for brand recognition, for instance. In his view, robots will never truly replace people and their jobs, “but luckily we can already use devices to do the jobs that can be automated,” said Rose. According to James Haliburton, however, when faced with a whole range of platforms that aim to make our lives better and more comfortable, it is essential to identify those that are most efficient and best suit our needs.

The growing importance of voice as a medium was one of the topics discussed by Andy Baynes of Google’s startup Nest Labs in his interview for Energetika.NET back in early 2017 (MORE).

“Technology is at a point where it can merge with our everyday lifestyle without disrupting it. Intelligent products will automate mundane tasks (switching the heating on and off, controlling light switches etc) without requiring us to do anything dramatically different to our day to day activities. With the advent of learning algorithms and sophisticated wireless platforms, devices such as thermostats, light bulbs, appliances, boilers can be built by different companies and still connect to each other and benefit from each other’s learning capabilities. The home will learn your occupancy patterns, your preferred heating temperature, your preferred lighting levels, know the difference between an intruder and an occupant and check on your kids while you’re at the office. With the introduction of Google Home we will soon be connecting to these devices and even energy companies via voice recognition. Voice is going to be a game changer for energy,” said Baynes then.

This article is available also in Slovene.