As an intuitive technology that utilizes voice recognition, language processing algorithms, and voice synthesis to listen and respond to specific commands, voice assistants are a prime example of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an unlimited number of modern applications. Not only are the number of personal voice assistants growing steadily within households and offices, but these pieces of technology are frequently being used experimentally to better the world around us.
What Features Make Voice Assistants Fit For Innovative Use?
Besides their lengthy list of functions as Smart Speakers and mobile assistants, voice-enabled technology is distinctly known for brandishing personality, even as a piece of technology. One study shows that voice assistant’s functional intelligence, sincerity, and creativity even have the power to facilitate consumer satisfaction and willingness to continue using AI. Of course, even the well-known Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have been used as marketing agents for popular brands, usually in the form of voice applications or skills for users to explore. It’s clear that the persuasive quality of voice has a direct influence over modern consumers, often because this knowledge and personable AI can easily foster trust, reliability, transparency, and validation for its users. For many marketers, the bottom line is humanizing voice assistants to display social and emotional characteristics that can ultimately curate a satisfactory consumer experience.
Considering the contemporary uses of voice assistants, as well as the many revolutionary qualities of this technology, the potential for voice applications seems endless.
Innovative Uses of Voice Assistants Today
Voice-assisted vehicles
A very practical application of voice assistants exists where a hands-off approach is needed most. In fact, an integrated voice assistant is actually considered a relatively mainstream component of any modern car–so much so that a recent report predicts that 95% of consumers will utilize in-car conversational assistants by 2022.
What’s particularly innovative about voice applications in this context is the ability to mitigate any safety concerns while using technology on the road. Whether navigating toward their destination, queuing up their favorite song, or dialing a friend, drivers can multitask while ultimately staying focused on the road ahead of them.
Airports
As it concerns customer service, voice assistants are here to help. In the past year, voice assistants have been integrated throughout various airports’ existing helplines to receive and respond to incoming inquiries. Designed to interact with callers as naturally as possible, this AI can relay information to travelers regarding their flight status or schedule, as well as a handful of other related topics. This voice-enabled technology is able to ask clarifying questions to callers before either providing a relevant answer or handing the task off to a human representative to handle.
While this application of AI is still subject to troubleshooting and improvement, one testing airport claimed that this technology is already fielding a solid 30% of all calls made to the helpline.
Smart displays
While the demand for Smart Speakers has grown higher and higher with the advancement of voice-enabled technology, it appears as though consumers are now showing a stronger preference for smart displays. Many contemporary smart displays are fully equipped with AI-powered functions, including so much as facial recognition, hand gesture control, and eye gesture detection in addition to voice interaction. How’s that for innovation?
Healthcare
Believe it or not, the same voice-enabled technology sold for commercial use has even made its way into the healthcare sector. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, voice assistants like Apple’s Siri played a fundamental role in screening patients for the virus. By walking users through CDC COVID-19 assessment questions and recommending various telehealth applications, voice and conversational AI have increased the accessibility of medical services to socially distancing and quarantining individuals.
Given the life-saving applications seen throughout the pandemic, voice assistants are bound to be further integrated in the healthcare industry in coming years.
As innovators envision a world made more efficient by intelligent and personable AI, one can only imagine the kinds of applications we will see from voice-enabled technology. From hands-off capabilities to customer service to automated healthcare assessments, the contemporary uses of voice assistants make for a promising future ahead.