Technologies make our society resilient in the face of a Black Swan event like the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of these technologies might even have a long-lasting impact beyond Covid-19. A technology that is of huge benefit during this time of chaos and uncertainty is that of voice enabled apps. According to the Adobe Voice Survey, a majority of the users found that voice interfaces made their lives faster, easier, and more convenient. 77% of the respondents in the survey said that they were planning to increase their usage of voice technology in the next 12 months. 

Thanks to voice AI’s ability to understand natural language, its adoption will keep increasing and there will be more use cases added to its repertoire. Voice user interfaces are great for companies in certain industries: finance, education, healthcare, technology and more. 

Voice Technology Creates Safer Alternatives in Times of Covid

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to be wary of touching anything in a public place for the fear of contracting (and spreading) the virus, as new variants like Omicron emerge. AI-powered voice technology has enabled a contactless ecosystem by providing safer alternatives to get things done. Booking a medical appointment or checking one’s bank balance might not have been activities that consumers would have used voice technology for earlier, but that is fast changing. 

INtelligent voice interfaces provide frictionless, contactless, responsive and predictive interactions. It changes the way we access information and how we navigate between the physical and digital worlds. According to a study by Juniper Research, 52% of voice interface users said that they used them a number of times a day or nearly every day, in 2021. You can imagine that the numbers will only keep increasing. 

In mobile applications, voice AI reduces the complexity of navigation, increases conversion, offers greater convenience, and boosts engagement. 

Voice AI has Enabled a Contactless Paradigm

Voice enabled apps have emerged to the forefront during the pandemic in many instances, for example,

•  A significant drop in cash payments. Voice and touch and type apps are leading the way for payment for goods and services.
• In Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), voice-enabled kiosks offer hands-free ordering. 
• The hospitality industry uses voice-enabled kiosks for not only checking-in and checking-out customers, but also to control in-room amenities for the guests.
• Voice shopping makes advanced filtering easy as customers don’t have to navigate through complicated menus. It is expected to reach $40 billion this year. 
• From virtual health guides to real-time medication reminders, voice AI has multiple use cases in healthcare.
• In the education sector, voice AI can be used in conducting online viva exams, authenticate access to learning materials, act as smart campus assistants, and so on.   

The pandemic has influenced a shift in the mindset and habits of consumers. They have been forced to adopt technology that promotes contactless experiences — to mitigate chances of getting infected from touching surfaces. To survive and thrive beyond the pandemic, brands should enable voice-based technologies to latch on to new consumer behavior and provide a superior user experience.

Wrapping Up

Consumers are using voice technology more than ever in the pandemic,  and expect it to be a standard for all digital experiences. Voice is infinitely easier to use and advancements in voice technology gives quick, accurate results. With the massive societal and economic shifts that have occurred because of the pandemic, our lives, both personal and professional, will continue on the path of tectonic changes – and voice AI is going to be a huge part of it. 

If you are looking to include AI-powered voice apps to your business, get in touch with the team at Alan AI. The Alan Platform can help you create voice enabled apps in a matter of days. 

Write to them at sales@alan.app.