Apple Acquires AI Startup Voysis to Improve Siri

Apple has purchased artificial intelligence startup Voysis with the aim of improving Siri, reports Bloomberg. Voysis offers a platform that allows digital voice assistants to better understand natural language.

applevoysis
The company worked to improve voice assistants in online shopping apps, allowing software to better interpret requests from users. The website, which is now defunct, said that the technology used client databases with AI tools that deeply understand the specifics of products, services, and vocabulary to make the user experience "easier, faster and more intuitive."

The Voysis platform allowed customers to hone in on search requests with simple phrases like "I need a new LED TV" or "Just show me the 4K ones." Voysis said that shoppers could use voice to find what they're looking for 3x faster than typing using these kind of requests.

Bloomberg speculates that Apple could use Voysis' technology to improve ‌Siri‌'s understanding of natural language, or offer the Voysis platform to developers to improve how ‌Siri‌ works with apps.

Apple confirmed the acquisition to Bloomberg with its standard acquisition statement: "[Apple] buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Apple has acquired multiple AI startups over the course of the last five years, such as Xnor.ai, Turi, VocalIQ, Perceptio, Emotient, and more, to improve ‌Siri‌ and other AI-based offerings.

Top Rated Comments

mazz0 Avatar
41 months ago
Understanding speech is not what’s wrong with Siri
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Madmic23 Avatar
41 months ago
Clippy was better than Siri. :(


Attachment Image
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mistasopz Avatar
41 months ago
Siri is the dumbest of all the smart assistants.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JMO1 Avatar
41 months ago

Understanding speech is not what’s wrong with Siri
yeah. It kind of sucks at that too. It’s like autocorrect, it defaults to more common words that fit common language structures. Unfortunately with music, names and numerous other things Siri still struggles to get it right.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BuffaloTF Avatar
41 months ago

Understanding speech is not what’s wrong with Siri
But it actually is... easily the biggest problem.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeadingHeat Avatar
41 months ago

would be great if Siri would NOT call home on everything
THIS. I wish I could set an alarm or get a quick calculation without it saying “sorry, I’m having problems connecting. Please try again later.” Just have a cache of useful things that really don’t need the internet saved and it’s fixed!

Unless of course it still relies on an internet connection to even know what I’m saying which I don’t think it does.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Google Assistant

Google I/O 2016: Assistant, Home, Allo, Duo, Android N, and More

Wednesday May 18, 2016 11:51 am PDT by
Google hosted its annual I/O developers keynote at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California today, announcing multiple new products and services related to Android, search, messaging, home automation, and more. Google Assistant Google Assistant is described as a "conversational assistant" that builds upon Google Now based on two-way dialog. The tool can be used, for example,...