Azure AI Speech services from Microsoft now offer enhanced voice options and additional chat avatars.

Azure AI Speech services from Microsoft now offer enhanced voice options and additional chat avatars.

Microsoft has enhanced its Azure AI Speech services by introducing more realistic AI-based voices over the past year and is now offering even more additions and improvements to these voices. The company has added multilingual voices to Azure AI Speech, providing a diverse range of characters to enhance user experience. These voices promise to transform … Read more

Truecaller leverages Microsoft’s AI technology to enable a personalized voice assistant to answer your phone calls.

Truecaller leverages Microsoft’s AI technology to enable a personalized voice assistant to answer your phone calls.

Truecaller is introducing a new personal voice feature powered by AI that will allow users to create a digital version of their own voice to greet callers and identify the purpose of their call. The feature is part of Truecaller’s AI assistant and is supported by Microsoft’s Azure AI voice technology. This new feature aims … Read more

McDonald’s discontinues IBM drive-thru voice order experiment

McDonald’s discontinues IBM drive-thru voice order experiment

McDonald’s has decided to end its partnership with IBM for automated order-taking at drive-thru locations. The collaboration began in 2021 and involved using AI technology to improve efficiency and speed of service at McDonald’s restaurants. While the project will be coming to an end, McDonald’s acknowledged the potential of drive-thru voice ordering and aims to … Read more

OpenAI is falling behind in the race against Google due to delays in implementing new voice features.

OpenAI is falling behind in the race against Google due to delays in implementing new voice features.

OpenAI has decided to postpone the launch of its new “voice mode” feature for the ChatGPT AI model, which is a setback in the competitive field of conversational AI where it risks losing ground to Google. The company cited the need for additional improvements, such as the ability to filter certain content, resulting in a … Read more

McDonald’s and IBM temporarily suspend AI voice ordering system in development

McDonald’s and IBM temporarily suspend AI voice ordering system in development

McDonald’s has decided to cancel its two-year trial of voice-activated, algorithmic automated order-taking at all 100 drive-thrus that used it in partnership with IBM. The decision comes amid performance issues with IBM’s technology, including trouble receiving commands correctly in different accents and dialects, accuracy issues, and high operating costs. However, McDonald’s has expressed confidence in … Read more

Oracle introduces expanded voice options for OCI Speech TTS

Speech Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology is advancing rapidly with the introduction of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Speech TTS, offering support for a wide range of voices. This innovative technology allows for the creation of natural and expressive speech, enhancing the user experience across various applications and devices. OCI Speech TTS provides users with access to a … Read more

McDonald’s Ends Trial of AI Voice Ordering at Drive-Thru

McDonald’s Ends Trial of AI Voice Ordering at Drive-Thru

McDonald’s is ending its AI drive-thru order-taking technology, which was created in partnership with IBM for testing. Despite this, McDonald’s believes in the potential of voice ordering solutions and plans to continue evaluating long-term options. The company had previously invested in AI by acquiring Apprente in 2019 and later partnering with IBM to advance growth. … Read more

Truecaller employs Microsoft’s AI technology to enable a ‘personal voice’ to answer your calls.

Truecaller leverages Microsoft’s AI technology to enable a personalized voice assistant to answer your phone calls.

Truecaller is introducing a new AI-powered personal voice feature that allows users to create a digital version of their own voice. This feature will greet users and specify the purpose of their call, enhancing the caller’s experience with the virtual assistant. The feature is powered by Microsoft’s Azure AI voice technology and aims to offer … Read more

Voice Typing and Automatic Captions Now Available on Safari and Edge Browsers Thanks to Google

Voice Typing and Automatic Captions Now Available on Safari and Edge Browsers Thanks to Google

Google has recently announced that they are expanding the availability of certain features in Google Docs and Slides to more web browsers such as Safari and Edge. Users will now be able to utilize voice typing and automatic subtitles in these browsers, which were previously only accessible on Google Chrome. This update aims to make … Read more

Creating a digital voice copy with Microsoft Azure AI for answering phone calls

Creating a digital voice copy with Microsoft Azure AI for answering phone calls

Truecaller, a popular app for managing phone calls and avoiding spam, has introduced a new feature that utilizes Microsoft Azure AI Speech to replicate a user’s voice. This feature allows Truecaller to create a digital copy of a user’s voice to handle incoming calls, providing a personalized and engaging communication experience. Microsoft Azure AI Speech … Read more