By George De Marco, ESX Chairman
Today, most of us know Alexa, Google and Siri voice technologies as an interface to access music, turn on lights or ask a question. However, the real magic is the powerful software behind the scenes that bridges the gap between devices, services and interactions, using voice recognition, artificial intelligence (AI), and voice-enabled apps. The resulting benefit is a hands-free and frictionless way to use technology in the home, at work, and in the car.
Voice recognition isn’t a fad, it’s more than a trend – it’s an evolution. It is not a just a product or service – it’s an experience. In the future, voice recognition will reshape our industry entirely and become an expected means of interaction. As AI-powered voice gets more intelligent, humans will interact with voice-driven machines using more intuitive interfaces resembling natural conversations.
So, will voice technology help us reach the life of the Jetsons – convenient, efficient, and intuitive? Not without a little turbulence along the way. Privacy and trust seem to be the biggest barrier to wide-spread adoption of voice technology. Consumers will be hesitant to fully embrace voice recognition until the underlying technology earns more trust in handling everyday applications, such as recognizing a specific voice for disarming a security system or canceling an alarm signal at a monitoring station.
Just imagine if the security system of the future is always on. Through the use of voice technologies, combined with artificial intelligence, machine learning, video, connected sensors and mobile devices, the security system is alert 24/7, without the need for a physical interaction. As with most revolutionary technologies, unintended consequences surface and need to be addressed, but convenience usually trumps privacy issues in the end.
For diverse perspectives and advice on how to prepare yourself for fast-paced, business-changing breakthroughs, consider attending the “Rethink the Future” track at ESX 2019. Through these forward-thinking sessions, you and your team may discover opportunities that keep you and your company relevant for years to come.
Photo attribution: “SEO optimize your website for voice search” by Florencio Latham is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0