When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, it wasn't just a new phone — it was a fundamental shift in how we interact with technology. As he famously quipped, "We're going to use a stylus? ... No." before revealing the true innovation: "No, we're going to use our fingers.”
Here’s the video of that address:
Just as the iPhone revolutionized how we interact with technology, mainstreaming the use of touchscreens for the mobile landscape, it’s likely that AI will lean on another of our natural senses in the near future: Our voice.
The Jony Ive-Sam Altman Connection
The joining of forces between design visionary Jony Ive and AI pioneer Sam Altman signals a major step in this direction. Ive, the creative force behind Apple's iconic designs, teaming up with Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, suggests a powerful convergence of user-centric design and cutting-edge AI.
This collaboration hints at a future where AI isn't just intelligent, but also seamlessly integrated into our lives through intuitive, voice-driven interfaces. Their combined expertise suggests a product-oriented approach, aiming for a universal, transformative impact like the iPhone, but powered by voice.
Five Reasons Why Voice Is the Future of AI
- Natural and Universal: Voice is the most fundamental way humans communicate. Think about it. It's innate and embedded in our DNA. It’s universal and voice transcends language barriers. With rapid advancements in real-time translation, AI will soon be able to understand and respond to virtually any language, making voice a truly universal interface.
- Rapidly Improving Technology: Voice recognition technology has made astonishing progress in recent years. AI can now understand complex commands, nuanced accents, and even emotional inflections with remarkable accuracy. While early voice assistants like Siri and Alexa were pioneers, the technology hadn’t quite caught up yet for their true potential. Now we’re about to enter the era of sophisticated voice AI.
- Well Beyond Commands: Voice interaction is well beyond simple commands (“Alexa, turn on the light.”). It’s conversational now. Whether it’s lighter, casual dialogue or theoretical, scientific discourse, AI can serve the best of both worlds with context-aware responses. It gets to know us better over time, dramatically improving the quality of the interactions. Imagine navigating a city, learning a language, or even writing a novel all through your voice.
- The Concept of Companion and Relationship Building: Voice enables a more personal and intimate relationship with AI. As Mustafa Suleyman, head of Microsoft AI, wrote for TIME in January, AI companions are coming and they’re going to be life-changing. The ability to converse naturally, express emotions, and receive empathetic responses will foster a sense of connection and trust. We're not just interacting with a machine, we're developing a relationship with a companion.
- Personalized AI Personalities: The future of voice AI isn't just about what it says, but how it says it. (Companies like Trinity Audio, who we partner with at RebelMouse, know this.) Imagine choosing an AI companion with a voice that suits your preferences — a calm, reassuring tone for stressful situations, or an energetic, enthusiastic voice for brainstorming. Maybe it has an appealing accent or a personality with a standup comedian style of humor. We may even see a marketplace of AI personalities, where developers create and users download AI companions with unique voices, tones, and even backstories.
The shift to voice is happening. It’s happening already and it will accelerate. When OpenAI finally releases its product, and competitors will surely launch their own competing products, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes mainstream.
Based on their history, Apple itself is undoubtedly aware of what’s happening. Perhaps they’re brewing something themselves behind the scenes, or maybe it’s Google or Amazon. Someone will hit the home run and change history again.
