While technologies of all disciplines seem to develop at a breakneck speed, voice recognition software has been transformed in recent memory. From the original models in the 1950s with a ten-word vocabulary, versions just thirty years later recognize up to twenty thousand words.
In the 1980s and 1990s, voice recognition computers gained more storage and processing power, allowing them to understand more natural speech. Today’s most modern examples that can be found in your smartphone don’t rely on a limited technology or your device’s processor, but instead on a cloud database that stores millions of words and phrases.
Another development that allows for more precise results is the inclusion of context. Rather than responding to a single word, the latest voice recognition technology also incorporates surrounding words and phrases. Using complicated mathematical models, it can use probability to produce the most relevant search results.
On the other hand, these new technologies can create additional concerns for users. The top issue is customer privacy. While having a device that can learn a person’s vocal patterns and behaviors can help customize their experience, it can also lead to doubt as to how their data is being stored and other ways tech companies might be using their information.
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