The development of artificial intelligence continues with each passing day. Most consumers experience AI through the use of AI-based voice assistants. Of course, this includes things like Google Assistant and Microsoft’s Cortana. Microsoft recently acquired a company to give the latter AI a more human voice. Everyone knows they’re dealing with AI because it often sounds robotic, but Microsoft wants to change that.
The Attempt To Make AI More Human
Both Dan Klein and Larry Gillic are often considered pioneering individuals in conversational AI. In 2014, they founded Semantic Machines to work on giving human voices to artificial intelligence. Klein is a professor at UC Berkeley, and Gillick used to work as the chief speech scientist at Apple. The pair knows a thing or two about making AI sound more human, although the feat has not been perfected yet.
Microsoft Now Owns Semantic Machines
Nonetheless, Microsoft recently acquired Semantic Machines. The company wants to give Cortana and its bots a human-like voice. Cortana’s AI voice is based on voice actress Jen Taylor’s voice. Still, Cortana is easily identifiable as an artificial intelligence. A more human AI is often seen as the golden standard among tech companies. Other companies continue to tweak their AI in order to make them seem more human and trustworthy.
Human-Like AI Come With A Variety of Concerns and Issues
For instance, Google unveiled Google Duplex in the beginning of May. Duplex empowers Google Assistant to make reservations in place of a human being. The Duplex-powered Assistant sounds like a human being and could trick someone with ease. Unsurprisingly, Duplex caused a firestorm of controversy among consumers and tech analysts. Many people considered the software deceptive and a major privacy issue, among other things.
In fact, Microsoft experienced its own AI-focused controversy with the Tay bot for Twitter. Tay responded to users’ tweets with racist and misogynistic remarks before being pulled by Microsoft soon after release. Virtually every tech company with a voice assistant is currently working on human-like voice quality, though. Despite public controversy, tech companies want to master and perfect their AI offerings.
It remains to be seen what comes of Microsoft’s acquisition of Semantic Machines. Cortana may take months, or even years, to fully develop with a human-like voice. For now, Google appears to lead the pack with Google Duplex. Microsoft will need to pour a lot of resources into the development of Cortana’s actual voice.
