Talk about AI mostly revolves around the jobs that it will create or take away, how it boosts efficiency or the toll it takes on mental health. But we forget that AI isn’t meant only for the urban and literate sections of the population.
Across India, there’s a vast untapped audience that is struggling to gain access to such tools.
Think of these scenarios:
-A farmer needs advice on pest control and weather patterns.
-A math student wants simple explanations in their mother tongue.
-A senior citizen wants info on a health condition or help with banking but is struggling with the small phone screen and complex menus.
There are AI tools that can make their lives easier, but some of these people may face hurdles in accessing such tools in their language, because of a literacy barrier or a disability. That’s where voice AI can offer a more intuitive and accessible solution.
Voice AI combines speech recognition + Natural Language Processing + text-to-speech function, enabling users to speak with AI in multiple languages. It has a lot of potential and needs to be developed further so that more functions can be performed using voice AI – ranging from querying for health advice, studying for an exam, automated check-ins for senior citizens, filing a utility/banking complaint, and accessing multiple services.
The old and the young could benefit the most from it as it makes the elderly user feel more independent and confident in speaking with AI, while students can benefit from the voice-led guidance and personalised guidance in their language of choice.
This shift can benefit populations that have so far been locked out of the benefits of AI.
Going ahead, the question we should ask while designing any app or service is: Can someone use this without reading a single word? That will indicate the true accessibility of the app.
Have you come across any innovative tools that are using Voice AI?
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #VoiceAI #Inclusion #TechForGood
Everyday Reflections 
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