All articles tagged with #voice recognition
Research shows that specific parts of the human brain respond distinctly to chimpanzee vocalizations, indicating deep evolutionary roots of voice recognition that predate human language and suggesting shared neural mechanisms with our closest primate relatives.
Handy is a free, easy-to-use speech-to-text application that leverages advanced AI models like Nvidia's Parakeet and OpenAI's Whisper to convert spoken words into text accurately, offering a simple setup and customizable options for users on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
After three months of using Alexa+, the upgraded AI assistant from Amazon, the author highlights its more natural, conversational interactions, improved smart-home controls, a redesigned Echo Show interface, better management of lists and reminders, and new visual recognition capabilities, though it still falls short in fully autonomous actions. Overall, Alexa+ shows significant progress but remains a work in progress for complete automation.
Waze has expanded its 'Conversational Reporting' feature, allowing users to report road hazards using natural voice commands, making it easier to share real-time updates while driving. The feature, initially in limited beta, is now being broadly rolled out, though some bugs and notification issues remain.
A Malvern-based startup, FarX, has developed an AI-powered security technology that combines voice and facial recognition to enhance online security and detect fraud, with plans to incorporate emotional recognition to improve customer service interactions. The company has secured patents in the UK and US and is already used in the banking industry.
Taco Bell is reconsidering its use of AI at drive-throughs after mixed results and viral moments, with plans to allow franchisees to decide when to deploy voice AI or rely on human staff, emphasizing a tailored approach to technology adoption.
Microsoft's Windows future will be more ambient, pervasive, and multi-modal, heavily integrating AI to enable context-aware, voice-driven interactions, transforming the OS into an agentic assistant that seamlessly combines local and cloud capabilities, with significant changes expected in user interfaces and experience over the next few years.
The article reviews Alexa+'s preview release, highlighting its improved conversational abilities and integration with third-party services, but also its limitations like inconsistency, incomplete task execution, and AI's imperfect understanding, raising philosophical questions about AI's human-like qualities.
The reviewer tests Amazon's new Alexa Plus, which no longer requires specific voice commands and features an ambitious but still limited agentic AI that aims to act on users' behalf. While it understands natural speech better and can manage tasks like booking tickets or fixing appliances, its capabilities are currently restricted by reliance on specific services and lack of web-wide browsing, making it not yet a full replacement for a personal assistant.
SoundHound AI (SOUN) stock continues to surge as its voice recognition and response technology gains traction, with an upcoming presentation at Nvidia's conference contributing to the excitement. The company's focus on AI applications in marketing and transcription, along with its investment from Nvidia, has driven the stock's recent gains, despite concerns about competition and voice cloning. SoundHound's potential in connecting database computing to voice recognition presents opportunities for further growth in the AI revolution.
Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Nvidia have all made significant investments in voice-recognition software, reflecting the growing interest in AI-powered voice assistants. Nvidia's recent investment in SoundHound AI has caused the stock to surge, highlighting the potential for growth in this sector. With the market for voice-recognition technology projected to reach $50 billion by the end of the decade, SoundHound AI, despite its current small size, could emerge as a major player in the long run.
Researchers have connected clusters of lab-grown brain cells to a computer and achieved elementary speech recognition and math problem-solving. The brain cells, grown from specialized stem cells, formed a nanometer-wide organoid that was connected to a circuit board. After training, the system, called Brainoware, was able to distinguish between different voices and predict mathematical constructs with high accuracy. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of using brain-inspired neural networks for advancing artificial intelligence capabilities. Biocomputing systems like Brainoware offer energy efficiency and could be used for studying neurological diseases and decoding brain wave activity. However, challenges remain in maintaining the health and nourishment of organoids and addressing neuroethical concerns.
Researchers have developed a hybrid biocomputer called Brainoware that combines laboratory-grown human brain tissue with conventional circuits. The system utilizes brain organoids, which are bundles of tissue-mimicking human cells, to carry out tasks such as voice recognition. This technology could potentially be integrated into artificial intelligence systems or serve as a basis for improved models of the brain in neuroscience research. The combination of organoids and computers could also enable the leveraging of the speed and energy efficiency of human brains for AI applications, as well as provide a better brain model for studying neurological disorders. However, challenges remain in keeping the organoids alive and adapting them for more complex tasks.
OpenAI has released an updated version of its popular AI platform, ChatGPT, which can now respond to spoken words and images. While this development opens up new possibilities for user interaction, experts have raised concerns about potential privacy invasions and data collection. Some worry that ChatGPT could be used as a surveillance tool, collecting voice data and images that could be exploited for deep fakes. Others argue that the technology has creative potential but may make it difficult to differentiate between AI voice technology and real human voices. The new capabilities of ChatGPT rely on a large language model that learns from analyzing vast amounts of internet data, distinguishing it from platforms like Alexa and Siri.
OpenAI is adding voice and image capabilities to its ChatGPT platform, allowing users to have voice conversations with the chatbot and upload images for analysis. While some users have celebrated the update, others have raised concerns about the potential for AI becoming too human-like, copyright violations, data leaks, and the replacement of smaller AI startups and educators. There are also concerns about the threat of deepfakes, voice scams, identity theft, and the bypassing of image verification CAPTCHA tests. OpenAI has acknowledged these risks and is taking measures to address them.