The Sound of the Future: The Coming Age of Voice Technology

by Tobias Dengel, Karl Weber Narrated by Graham Winton

Overview

Why voice technology is the next big thing in technology, as big as mobile a decade ago and the internet in the late 90s, fundamentally altering the way companies do business.

Voice is the next technology - remarkably similar in potential impact to the internet and mobile computing - poised to change the way the world works. Tobias Dengel is in the vanguard of this breakthrough, understanding the deep, wide-ranging implications voice will have for every industry. In The Sound of the Future, he connects the dots about this emerging paradigm to vividly illustrate how business leaders can stay ahead of the game, rather than scrambling to catch up, as voice technology gradually reveals its power, creating a host of new winners and losers. *

Using fascinating, colorful stories, Dengel explains how the “voice-first” experience is becoming part of the global technology mainstream, exploring the ways voice will do a better job of serving basic human needs such as safety, speed, accuracy, convenience, and fun, as well as making it possible for hundreds of millions of people around the planet to participate more fully and productively in today's high-tech world by making interactions with technology virtually effortless.*

A pervasive technology like the internet and mobile, voice, with applications in marketing, sales, service, manufacturing, and logistics, will change the way we work at every level and every function, driving down costs, boosting productivity, and enabling the creation of entirely new business models.

This is not simply about Siri and Alexa. They are the tantalizing but incomplete precursors of the ultimate interface that will make technology easier, faster, more accurate, and more human.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The author does a good job of explaining where [voice technology] is going…From a solid base of experience, Dengel charts the way forward for the next technological shift.”—Kirkus

“Making stronger and faster connections with customers—fans, in our case—is critical for every business. As Tobias Dengel clearly lays out in his visionary book, the inevitable rise and wide-spread adoption of voice technology will be the next way to up our game.”—Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA

“In an ever evolving world of digital technologies ushered in by the computer, the internet, data processing, and the emergence of artificial intelligence, 'The Sound of the Future: The Coming Age of Voice Technology' is essential reading for anyone with an interest in what to expect in the near future whether that interest is personal or professional, cultural or economic. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, 'The Sound of the Future' is a seminal, ground-breaking, essential contribution.”
 —Midwest Book Review

“In The Sound of the Future, Dengel explores how AI will enable our return to voice, the most natural of all forms of communication. Voice technology will redefine our relationship with machines and devices with profound implications for every industry. We are all in search of a humanistic AI, and Dengel beautifully shows how it can be achieved.”

—Darren Entwistle, president and CEO, TELUS

“Voice technology is undergoing a technological leap from Siri and Alexa to a transformative force on par with mobile a decade ago and the internet in the 1990s. Dengel provides the big strategic vision and the granular details to harness the next digital wave.”—Michal Kosinski, Stanford University Graduate School of Business

“Talking is the new typing. Dengel smartly forecasts how voice technology, buoyed by advancements in artificial intelligence, will shape the future of business and everyday life. The Sound of the Future reveals the incredible potential of voice technology and how it will fundamentally reshape our very conception of human-machine interaction and intelligence.”—Amy Webb, CEO, the Future Today Institute, and author of The Signals Are Talking and The Big Nine

“In his far-reaching The Sound of the Future, Dengel vividly illustrates we are on the precipice of an important and enduring change with the advent of voice technology, one that leaders in every industry need to harness as an essential strategic force for keeping ahead of the competition. That is especially so as the recent advances in artificial intelligence power voice to become the ultimate human-machine interface.”—Ted Leonsis, former president, AOL; CEO, Monumental Sports & Entertainment

“The Sound of The Future makes a convincing case the future of media, innovation, and technology will depend upon voice technologies and experiences. Dengel has leveraged his insights in a stellar career as a pioneer and immensely successful technology and media entrepreneur. You’ll want to hear what he sees coming next.”—Jim Bankoff, chairman and CEO, Vox Media

“Dengel artfully describes the power of AI-enabled voice technology to break the patterns of the way business is done—from marketing and sales to logistics and manufacturing. The Sound of the Future provides the insightful details to create an unfair advantage.”—Peter Ziebelman, cofounder, Palo Alto Venture Partners; Stanford University Graduate School of Business; and coauthor of Pattern Breakers

Kirkus Reviews

2023-05-27
An introduction to an emerging new paradigm of voice interaction with machines.

Giving commands to tech devices by voice has been around for years, but the thesis of this book is that the technology is ready to take a leap to the transformative level. Dengel, the president of WillowTree, a digital product design and development company, gathers numerous case studies from companies that have already begun to make the transition. The underpinning AI technology has undergone countless improvements, to the point that sophisticated, multitier interactions between users and devices are becoming possible. “The overarching driver,” writes the author, “is the fact that we speak three times faster than we type….The beauty and power of voice is that it is the easiest, most natural, and most convenient way for us to communicate with our devices.” The potential applications range from repetitive tasks like completing forms to complex work like software programming as well as creative activities. The real value, however, is likely to come from improved customer service and interaction at the personal level. Siri and Alexa have introduced millions of people to voice interfaces, but those systems have limitations in learning and recognition. Dengel sees them as representatives of the first generation of voice interaction, and the technology is moving beyond them. He emphasizes that people do not want tech to emulate humans; rather, they want interfaces that are reliable, clear, and flexible. For companies, integrating voice technology will require investments, but the productivity gains are worth it, especially if a custom-designed system is used. Although there are still issues such as use in noisy environments, it is clear that voice interaction is going to spread and develop. The author does a good job of explaining where it is going.

From a solid base of experience, Dengel charts the way forward for the next technological shift.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178106013
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	10/10/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

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