Top 10 emerging Voice AI Technology trends to watch in 2021

‘Hey Siri’, ‘Hello Alexa’, ‘OK Google’; how many times have you said these greetings today? Quite a few times, right! AI Technology is upping its game by leaps and bounds and could very well be the dawn of a new paradigm. Voice AI Technology has been around for a while and the smartphone revolution has turned it into a ubiquitous phenomenon. The shift towards voice AI and voice technology can be attributed towards the comfort levels it offers to users. Younger generations, particularly millennials, enjoy the freedom and control AI voice assistants provide when going about their daily tasks. Moreover, older or differently-able individuals whose movements are restricted can benefit immensely from the capabilities of AI voice assistants which adds to its faster adoption as well. Simply put, the world has realized the potential of voice technology and are more than willing to be a part of the revolution.

With exciting innovations being rolled out every day, let’s take a look at the top 10 emerging Voice AI Technology trends to watch in 2021 and beyond.

1. Custom Voice Assistants

Much like a personal butler, voice assistants serve as their digital counterpart and guide us through the numerous avenues of life. At present, smartphones are the biggest employers of voice assistants. They have been endowed with the power to add a personal touch of late and are capable of moulding themselves to suit the user’s preference. With its ability to adapt to user needs, custom voice assistants are all set to take the service sector by storm. From travel to retail, their scope is virtually endless. Even elevators will soon be handled solely by voice assistants. Furthermore, niches such as admin and IT support that have had no brush with voice bots in the past are slowly embracing the technology. Other sectors where voice assistants will soon be the norm include transportation networks, care homes and educational institutions. With limitless possibilities, custom voice assistants will be the norm in the years to come.

2. Multi-modal AI

Our interactions with the digital world are evolving with each passing day. With 2021 catapulting the role of digital ecosystems in everyday life to higher levels, we are becoming increasingly dependent on its offerings. Owing to this, various data types are employed inclusive of speech, image, text and numerical data. Multi-modal AI uses multiple intelligence processing algorithms to consolidate the information and provide impactful solutions.

3. Contextual Recognition

Everyone likes a personal touch! Same goes with AI. The newest trend is to use emotional cues to provide context on the engagement. This provides a more enhanced experience similar to interacting with a real human. The inability to evaluate context was seen as the major drawbacks of AI voice assistants during the early stages of its development. However, modern machine learning algorithms have made it possible to circumvent this limitation. Studies conducted in 2020 indicate that midway through the coming decade, voice bots will able to hold meaningful conversation with humans.

4. Cloud Adoption

AI has a symbiotic relationship with the cloud and can’t sustain itself without it. Naturally, the rate of cloud adoption has risen exponentially and has become the norm. Cloud computing is of particular interest in Voice AI driven analytics and serves as the driver for premium data analysis. In the years to come, Cloud and AI voice assistant chat bots are all set to be virtually inseparable.

5. Speech Recognition

Many individuals fall prey to speech impediments either due to injury or a pre-existing genetic condition. Thus, communication is a challenge for them. AI has stepped up to face this challenge and has come up with ingenious ways to enable speech recognition for those with speech impediments thereby enabling them to communicate with peers more effectively.

6. Voice over Touch

The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged most folks to limit contact with surfaces, especially the ones used by the public. This has supercharged the transition from touch screen command to voice commands. Moreover, the accelerated shift has cemented the place of Voice commands and it’s likely that it will be the mainstay in the future.

7. Internet of Things

The advent of the 5G network has disrupted the existing modalities for the better. Therefore, IoT and the corresponding technology can put the power of 5G to good use aided along by the capabilities of AI. The primary application of this trend can be found in ‘smart’ technology right from smartwatches to smart refrigerators.

8. Ethics

This might come as a surprise, but AI is being increasingly used to maintain data ethics by large enterprises. The primary purpose is to streamline data governance in order to make the process more transparent and accessible. Professionalism and privacy are paramount to customers and businesses are willing to invest in technology that can safeguard the same. This makes voice technology like voice assistant chat bots very appealing to these organizations.

9. Robotics

Be it to traverse an inhospitable environment or to perform surgery to the utmost accuracy, robots are what we rely on to execute them. The performance of robots is often judged on the basis of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The AI voice bot plays a pivotal role in enhancing these parameters and the global economy is bound to have a positive impact due to these innovations.

10. AR & VR

A seamless immersive experience is the promise that Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality tools bring to the table. AI is the key to unlocking their full potential. The functionalities of AI supported AR and VR are out of this world and provide an unparalleled experience. 2021 already explored the various perks of the AI/VR duo in Gaming and these advantages will definitely spill over to all aspects of the service sector sooner rather than later.

To Sum Up

Voice AI technology has been increasing in popularity across all sectors. The latest trends in the arena focus on providing a more unique and customized experience to users rather than mechanical solutions. Additionally, corporate and small-time entities continue to transition to voice based AI systems to streamline their workflows and enhance customer deliverables. More than 1.4 billion people currently use messaging apps or similar technology, thus effectively setting the stage for voice AI technology. It’s the right time to jump on board the voice AI train.

Engagely.ai has been at the forefront of the AI revolution since its inception and is all set to help the world embrace the awesome power of voice technology.