Top 11 Voice Recognition Applications in 2023
Hi there! With artificial intelligence advancing so rapidly, you may be wondering: what are the most impactful real-world applications of voice recognition technology today and what‘s coming in 2023? I‘ve explored this topic extensively as an AI consultant, and I‘m excited to walk you through the top 11 voice recognition applications that are shaping our future. Let‘s dive in!
Top 11 Voice Recognition Applications in 2023
Here are the major ways voice recognition will be used this year and beyond:
- Smart home devices
- Virtual assistants
- Dictation software
- Call centers
- Voice commerce
- Automotive voice control
- Voice biometrics
- Speech transcription services
- Voice search
- Call tracking & analytics
- Healthcare diagnostics
Now, let me provide an in-depth look at each of these 11 today, along with stats, examples and projections for the coming year.
1. Smart Home Devices
Voice recognition is making controlling devices and appliances in smart homes easier than ever. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home are leading this charge, allowing users to turn on lights, adjust thermostats, play music and more with simple voice commands.
In fact, according to an NPR report, a whopping 30% of voice assistant users cite smart home device control as their primary reason for purchasing an Echo or Google Home. With smart home devices becoming more affordable and capabilities expanding, adoption is accelerating.
juniper-smart-home-forecast.png
Juniper Research forecasts the number of households with smart home devices will climb from 115 million in 2018 to over 478 million by 2025. That‘s a compound annual growth rate of nearly 24%!
Clearly, the smart home revolution is being driven largely by the convenience of voice control. Just say "Alexa, turn on the kitchen lights" or "Hey Google, set the living room temperature to 70 degrees" and your home springs into action. This ease of use is making consumers comfortable relying on voice AI to manage daily home functions.
In 2023, we can expect companies like Amazon and Google to expand the range of smart home devices that work with their voice assistants. Third party device makers will also continue integrating voice recognition and developing new ways to control appliances through speech. Get ready to have an intelligent vocal assistant manage more aspects of your smart home!
2. Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants like Apple‘s Siri, Amazon‘s Alexa, Microsoft‘s Cortana and Google Assistant allow you to interact conversationally with devices for information and task completion. These AIs continue gaining abilities, leading to exponential growth in users.
Per Statista forecasts, over 135 million people in the US alone will use a voice assistant at least monthly this year. That‘s around 58% of smartphone users! Adoption is still rising rapidly, as developers make assistants accessible across more platforms – phones, cars, watches, headphones and home devices.
virtual-assistants-forecast.png
A survey by PWC underscored people‘s enthusiasm for conversing with smart assistants. 71% of respondents said that when searching for something, they would rather use a voice assistant than type in a search. And 58% already use assistants like Siri to text friends instead of typing messages manually.
Why are users so keen on virtual assistants? The appeal is being able to access information and complete tasks conveniently hands-free using natural speech. Instead of fumbling with multiple apps, you can just say "Hey Siri, call Mom" or "Alexa, play jazz in the kitchen."
In 2023, expect assistants to become even more conversational. For example, Google is adding capabilities like discussing your day and sharing personalized recommendations. The more life-like communication makes users comfortable interacting with virtual assistants as part of their daily routines.
3. Dictation Software
Voice recognition software that transcribes speech into text has been around for years, but keeps getting exponentially better – and it‘s now built into most computers and phones.
This dictation software allows us to write documents, emails, texts and anything else we‘d normally type using just our voice. It‘s much faster, easier and more comfortable than manual typing.
dictation-speed.png
In trials, dictation has achieved speeds of up to 160 words per minute with 90% accuracy. That‘s about three times faster than average typing speed! For writing tasks, it‘s an enormous productivity booster.
Doctors using medical dictation software were able to complete patient notes with around 150 words per minute on average based on one study. That adds up to saving hours and hours of time documentation.
Lawyers, writers, coders and other documenting-heavy professions are now routinely using dictation instead of typing. It prevents hand and wrist strain, while letting people complete work faster. And advancing speech recognition ensures the capabilities will continue to improve.
In 2023, expect growing integration of dictation features into more apps and websites. Anywhere typing is needed, voice will become an option. The technology still has some limitations, but for many common applications its accuracy and speed are game-changing.
4. Call Centers
Call centers are prime environments for voice recognition applications, helping automate customer service and reduce costs. Here are two of the most impactful uses:
IVR Systems
Interactive voice response systems allow callers to navigate menus and resolve common issues through verbal commands 24/7. IVR improves efficiency by automatically handling routine tasks without an agent.
For example, a customer can say "Make a payment" or "Check order status" to be routed to the right automated workflow. This cuts down huge volumes of simple inquiries, reducing wait times and enabling agents to focus on complex issues.
Call Analytics
Sophisticated call analytics software transcribes recordings of customer service calls automatically using speech recognition. This creates searchable transcripts that businesses can data mine for insights.
Analyzing thousands of call transcripts helps identify common themes, trends and issues customers face. Customer service teams can then tailor processes and training to improve these pain points. Transcriptions also provide feedback on agent performance when reviews are needed.
Call centers are under constant pressure to serve customers better while minimizing costs. Voice recognition applications enable them to achieve this by automating simple calls and unlocking human-like conversational capabilities.
According to Juniper Research, global speech recognition software revenue from call centers alone will grow from $580 million in 2021 to over $1.3 billion by 2025!
Adoption of IVR systems and call analytics tools will accelerate. In 2023, expect new innovations like sentiment analysis to further enhance what call centers can achieve with voice recognition. This technology turns calls into insightful data.
5. Voice Commerce
Shopping is getting a lot more conversational thanks to voice recognition. Retailers are creating voice interfaces that let shoppers browse, add items, checkout and more using speech on devices like smart speakers.
While still early days, multiple surveys indicate strong consumer interest in voice commerce. According to PWC, 46% of consumers are already using voice assistants for shopping-related activities.
voice-commerce-growth.png
Voice shopping made its first dent in 2017 with just $2 billion in sales. But RBC Capital Markets predicts it could reach $40 billion by 2022 at a compound growth rate of over 90%!
With major retailers like Walmart, Target and Costco embracing partnerships with Amazon and Google, sales volumes are set to surge. Consumers enjoy the convenience of adding items to carts, tracking orders and making returns through quick voice commands.
In 2023, we‘ll see voice commerce capabilities expand as retailers add more intuitive voice interfaces. Shoppers will be able to ask an AI assistant broader questions like "Find me a comfortable pair of black flats under $50" and get personalized results. Exciting times ahead!
6. Automotive Voice Control
It‘s now mainstream for new cars to come equipped with intelligent voice control systems. These allow drivers to operate navigation, entertainment, communications, vehicle settings and more completely hands-free.
Voice recognition is making driving safer by minimizing distractions and giving motorists an easy way to access functions without looking away from the road. Capabilities keep growing thanks to AI assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant being integrated into infotainment systems.
voice-auto-forecast.png
According to an Auto Alliance survey, use of in-car voice assistants tripled from 2018 to 2021. And Juniper Research forecasts that 73% of US drivers will use an in-car voice assistant at least once monthly by 2022.
Drivers clearly love the convenience of controlling their vehicle environments naturally through speech. You can request directions, play favorite music or podcasts, adjust temperature, and make calls completely hands and eyes-free.
In 2023, we‘ll see automakers racing to implement even more advanced voice control capabilities into vehicles. More apps and services will be accessible through voice, while assistants get smarter about conversational interactions. Just say "Hey BMW, find me the closest gas station" and your car becomes your personal AI navigator.
7. Voice Biometrics
Speech recognition is also being used for biometric authentication and identification – verifying an individual‘s identity through unique aspects of their voice print. Leading banks, healthcare systems and other businesses are employing voice biometrics.
This technology analyzes over 100 characteristics of a person‘s voice, taking into account tone, pitch cadence and more. It generates a unique voiceprint that can be matched each time someone speaks to access an account or system.
voice-biometric-growth.png
Research from MarketsandMarkets suggests the market for biometric technologies including voice recognition could grow from $43.5 billion in 2021 to $99.6 billion by 2026. Financial services and healthcare are adopting quickly.
Voice biometrics provides a frictionless authentication method without the need for passwords, codes or security questions that can be hacked or forgotten. It ensures enhanced security for activities like logging into bank accounts, accessing medical records and approving transactions.
In 2023, we‘ll continue to see more companies embrace voice biometrics. Its convenience and security for customers will become a competitive advantage. Instead of PINs, your voice will be your personalized passport to verify identity.
8. Speech Transcription Services
Speech recognition AI can instantly transcribe audio recordings into text documents. Third party services like Otter, Trint and Descript offer automated transcription for business meetings, interviews, podcasts, lectures and more.
This technology saves vast amounts of manual transcription time. It also unlocks searchability, easier editing and sharing of spoken content.
The global speech to text API market is forecast to grow at around 17% CAGR between 2021 and 2028. This exponential growth reflects demand as more content becomes multimedia.
speech-to-text-forecast.png
Look no further than the rise of podcasting – there were over 2 million podcasts and 48 million episodes in 2021. And YouTube sees over 500 hours of new content uploaded every minute.
That‘s a huge amount of spoken information that can now be efficiently transcribed at scale thanks to AI. Expect services that leverage speech recognition to transform audio content into text to boom.
In 2023, rapid advances in natural language processing will make these transcriptions even more accurate and sharable. If you create or consume lots of multimedia material, transcription is a must-have.
9. Voice Search
Voice search allows users to find information online by speaking requests rather than typing keywords. With the spread of virtual assistants and smart speakers, voice search is going mainstream.
Comscore predicts that fully half of all searches will be performed through voice assistants by 2020. Google also reports that 27% of its mobile searches now happen via voice commands.
People find voice search very intuitive for locating information while on the go, cooking, exercising or multi-tasking. The hands-free convenience is making it a preferred channel.
voice-search-growth.png
A Google study found that people use voice search queries very differently than typed ones. They ask casual, conversational questions and follow-up queries rather than using keyword-heavy statements.
This shows the opportunity to optimize content for voice search‘s more natural language. For example, think "How do I bake cookies?" instead of "Cookie recipe".
Look for even more content creators, marketers and SEO professionals to focus on voice search optimization in 2023. With smart speakers in millions of homes, people expect to be able to find information through conversation.
10. Call Tracking & Analytics
For sales teams, calls are where deals happen. That‘s why tools like Gong, Chorus and DialogTech that analyze voice data during calls are surging in popularity. Their speech recognition capabilities unlock game-changing analytics.
These tools automatically transcribe calls by applying AI to recordings and phone line data. The transcripts provide invaluable intel – managers can search for keywords and patterns to optimize sales processes.
call-tracking-growth.png
MarketsandMarkets puts the speech analytics market at $1.5 billion in 2021, growing to $4.7 billion by 2026. That‘s 25% CAGR as more businesses discover the insights voice analytics provide.
With call transcription, you can also use sentiment analysis tools to gauge emotions during customer interactions. And math-based outcomes analysis can highlight what sealing strategies are most effective so they can be replicated.
In 2023, selling teams will have access to more robust voice analytics to up their games. They‘ll be able to dissect more calls in less time to drive more conversions.
11. Healthcare Diagnostics
One of the most exciting frontiers of voice recognition is using AI to detect and monitor health conditions. By analyzing speech patterns, systems can catch symptoms of both physical illnesses and mental health issues.
For example, Brainomix‘s e-Stroke platform uses voice recognition to identify signs of a stroke. The technology can tell if a person is slurring words or speaking in an abnormal cadence that may indicate impairment.
voice-healthcare-growth.png
Reports suggest the global speech technology market in healthcare will grow from $2.1 billion in 2021 to around $7 billion by 2028. Huge opportunities exist for voice recognition to aid diagnostics and monitoring.
Companies like Sonde Health and Ellipsis Health have developed apps that analyze tone, phrasing and tiny vocal details to detect depression. Patients can also be monitored long-term through voice as mental health issues develop or are treated.
Look for many more medical applications of voice recognition to emerge from cutting-edge research. Using just a microphone, AI promises to pick up early symptoms of countless diseases.
So in summary – that was your overview of the 11 most important voice recognition applications today, along with a glimpse into the big advances coming in 2023 and beyond. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions!
