Speech’s Next Big Thing Is Moving Fast
First postulated in the 1960s, quantum computing had its earliest practical real-world applications in the mid-1990s when several organizations began experimenting with it to crack very complex codes in areas like cybersecurity. Then the technology languished for more than 20 years.
Now, quantum computing is making a resurgence, particularly as tech giants look to address some of the problems that have long been far beyond the ability of even the most powerful classical and modern supercomputers to solve. Discussions, while still largely theoretical, have moved beyond the academic strongholds like MIT and Stanford and are now taking place in boardrooms and government agencies across the world. All the major tech firms in just the past year or so have announced ambitious road maps for developing quantum computing technology in the near term.
Market research firm MarketsandMarkets in a recent report called quantum computing “one of the fastest-growing technologies in the world.” In fact, it values the worldwide market for these technologies at $1.3 billion today and projects it to more than quadruple in less than five years. By 2029, the quantum computing market will reach a $5.3 billion valuation, growing at a compound annual rate of 32.7 percent, according to MarketsandMarkets.
Granted, it’s still an emergent field of cutting-edge computer science, but quantum computing is finally getting some real attention, and I am proud to say that we at Speech Technology magazine are also talking about it. In this issue’s cover story, “Voice Is Poised to Take a Quantum Leap,” we look at the expected impact that quantum computing will have on the voice industry and the potential problems that it might one day overcome. It’s a very forward-thinking article, but it paints an immensely promising picture for the not-too-distant future.
“Integration of quantum computing into speech applications offers numerous benefits, which are going to change the face of speech technology,” says Dhaval Gajjar, chief technology officer of SMS marketing platform provider Textdrip, in the feature.
“Traditional computing cannot cope with the complexity of human language, including dialects, accents, and contextual meanings. But quantum computers can handle enormous amounts of data and compute several scenarios simultaneously, making speech recognition systems faster and more accurate,” he continues.
The feature sheds light on many of the areas of speech technology that could benefit from quantum computing. Translations, natural language processing, virtual assistants, analytics, biometrics, emotion detection, speech synthesis, and even vocal biomarker technologies are all areas where speech applications can be improved with quantum computing capabilities. Speed, accuracy, sensitivity, and personalization are all expected benefits as the technology advances.
The feature also notes that quantum computing could significantly improve noise-filtering algorithms by simultaneously processing a large number of potential signal variations, further enabling cleaner and more accurate real-time speech recognition, even in noisy environments like busy airports or concert halls.
As our second feature, “Eliminating Ambient Noise to Improve Speech Recognition,” points out, filtering out unwanted sounds, like cars, machinery, nearby conversations, dogs barking, or babies crying, has been a huge problem for the speech industry, especially in work environments where clear communication is crucial for safety and efficiency. Nowhere is this more evident than in the healthcare field, where even a small recognition error can have catastrophic consequences.
The cover story acknowledges that quantum computing’s true potential for advancing the speech tech market will likely not be realized for a few years more. Realistically, classical computers will continue to be used for the majority of current applications for years to come. However, quantum computers are already being implemented to explore a wide array of advanced applications. And as quantum computing continues to progress, we can expect this advanced technology to not only impact existing industries, but potentially unlock entirely new ones as well.
Leonard Klie is the editor of Speech Technology magazine. He can be reached at lklie@infotoday.com.
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