Researchers at Microsoft claim to have created a new speech recognition technology that transcribes conversational speech as well as a human does (via The Verge).

The system's word error rate is reportedly 5.9 percent, which is about equal to professional transcribers asked to work on the same recordings, according to Microsoft.

speech recognition team Microsoft

Microsoft researchers from the Speech & Dialog research group (Image: Allison Linn)

"We've reached human parity," said chief speech scientist Xuedong Huang in a statement, calling the milestone "an historic achievement".

To reach the milestone, the team used Microsoft’s Computational Network Toolkit, a homegrown system for deep learning that the research team has made available on GitHub via an open source license. The system uses neural network technology that groups similar words together, which allows the models to generalize efficiently from word to word.

The neural networks draw on large amounts of data called training sets to teach the transcribing computers to recognize syntactical patterns in the sounds. Microsoft plans to use the technology in Cortana, its personal voice assistant in Windows and Xbox One, as well as in speech-to-text transcription software.

But the technology still has a long way to go before it can claim to master meaning (semantics) and contextual awareness - key characteristics of everyday language use that need to be grasped for Siri-like personal assistants to process requests and act upon them in a helpful way.

"We are moving away from a world where people must understand computers to a world in which computers must understand us," said Harry Shum, who heads the Microsoft AI Research group. However it will be a long time before computers can understand the real meaning of what's being said, he cautioned. "True artificial intelligence is still on the distant horizon."

Top Rated Comments

keysofanxiety Avatar
116 months ago
I'm still going to feel awkward as hell talking to an inanimate object.
You should meet my ex-wife.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fitshaced Avatar
116 months ago
'And we were all like omg, and the machine was like 'I know right?' So then we lolled.'
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2010mini Avatar
116 months ago
You should meet my ex-wife.
You owe me a new keyboard sir. This comment made me do a spit take all over it.:p
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CreatorCode Avatar
116 months ago
The quote I see under Accuracy says --

[...]
DNS is very accurate if you speak clearly and directly, period. Contrary to what its name implies, comma, you cannot just speak naturally, period. You have to dictate specifically to it, period.

New paragraph.

The Microsoft experiment, comma, allegedly, comma, transcribes ordinary recorded speech and dialog without any additional effort on the part of the speaker, period.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TXCherokee Avatar
116 months ago
Researchers at Microsoft claim to have created
....

....and you can stop reading here. As both an Apple and MS customer, I never believe a word MS says on future products until it hits the market. And then it is usually 1/2 as good with 1/3 of the features as the promises.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
116 months ago
Properly exciting times.

I remember when I was but a sprog, wide-eyed in wonder, sitting on my Dad's lap as we watched Next Gen. I don't think anybody back then would have imagined technology to be as advanced as it is now.
I'm amazed at how forward-thinking the Star Trek series are. It's literally like looking into the future.

I'm watching the Voyager and Enterprise series again now on Netflix. Never get bored of them. :)
[doublepost=1476889293][/doublepost]
Seems like something Apple should have led the way on?
Hard to figure out Apple these days. They had very accurate speech recognition and speech synthesis (comparatively) back in the early 80s when the Mac first came out. Remember the Talking Moose?

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...