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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Otter.ai CEO on Developing AI Avatars to Handle Meetings
CEO Sam Liang discusses the developement of an AI avatar to handle 'routine' meetings. He speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on the sidelines of the Bloomberg Tech Conference. Sign in to access your portfolio
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
You're Already Using Voice AI at Work — Here's How It's Changing Everything
Welcome to Tech Times' AI EXPLAINED , where we look at the tech of today and tomorrow. Brought to you by Using voice AI at work is already happening. You might think AI at work means typing prompts into ChatGPT or getting a slick summary from your inbox. But the real shift is happening in your ears. From whispered prompts during Zoom calls to voice bots taking fast food orders, AI is quietly changing how we work, and you might not even realize it's there. Voice AI isn't just a flashy gadget or customer service gimmick. It's becoming a built-in layer across industries: transcribing your meetings, answering your calls, and even drafting your doctor's notes. As tools like Microsoft Copilot, and drive-thru voice bots quietly embed themselves in daily workflows, they're not only reshaping tasks, they're shifting what it means to show up, speak up, and stay relevant in a workplace that's learning to listen. Game studio founder and voice AI advisor Mike Sorrenti is bullish on the tech. "Voice ai is an excellent thing. It can be used for translation and many other things and if a very natural interface for kids, and older adults especially those with mild disabilities such as arthritis," he said in an email. Enhancing Workplace Productivity with Voice AI Visitors interact with Microsoft Copilot demos at a tech event, where AI-powered assistants like voice-enabled copilots are reshaping how we collaborate at work. A recent UK government study showed that civil servants who used Microsoft's Copilot AI for administrative tasks saved an average of 26 minutes a day, which works out to about two weeks of gained time per year. Voice AI plays a key role in this shift from the pre-AI workplace to the current AI workplace, becoming useful in transcription, summarization, and virtual meeting assistants. Previously, you'd have to have a human assistant sit in on your Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings to take notes, or delegate someone who may or may not be good at live note-taking to manage these. Voice AI assistants can now log, transcribe and summarize your meetings, often without the people in the meeting really understanding what's being recorded or how it's being analyzed. Workers are already adjusting how and when they speak during meetings, knowing that their words might be captured and re-contextualized by AI summaries. has also introduced a voice-activated AI version of its AI meeting assistant, letting users join and manage meetings without having to take notes. Now that we're used to asking Siri to take a note or set a timer, asking your AI voice agent to start recording will be a cinch. The shift from passive transcription to an interactive agentic AI system is subtle, but it is here. Users can even give verbal commands mid-meeting, obviating the need for someone who understands the user interface of an app, for example, or web controls, all in real-time. This isn't a backend utility, either; rather, tools like Otter are becoming active participants in meetings, giving us a glimpse at a future where AI agents might take on even more collaborative roles. While tools like this save time and offer easier control, the issues of privacy, consent, surveillance, and etiquette in meetings (especially in hybrid or remote work environments can be substantive. But first, a quick casting call for our sponsor and partner of AI EXPLAINED this month, PlaudAI - the No.1 AI note-taker that does exactly what you'd imagine an AI assistant can do in 2025. Do you use voice AI in your daily work? Are you a journalist, doctor, lawyer, educator, or creator doing something smart with your voice? We're spotlighting modern professionals for a new series with our sponsor, — share your story with us here , and you could be featured and receive a sample of PlaudAI. Voice AI Has Already Transformed Customer Service and Retail Experiences A call center employee works with a headset, illustrating how voice-based tools have long been part of the workplace — and how AI is now transforming those interactions. As a consumer, driving through the fast-food lane can be a common experience. You pull up to the speaker, ask for the food you want, and go grab it after you pay at the next window. If you've been in one recently, you may have heard some rudimentary voice AI ask you if you used a mobile ordering app. But that's all about to get even more AI-powered. Sophie Fennelly knows that voice AI is happening now. "As CEO of Sales TQ, with over a decade in enterprise sales and an analytical background from MIT, I've helped small businesses adopt emerging technologies—including voice AI—to improve operations," she wrote in an email. "Voice AI is no longer just futuristic hype; it is actively reshaping how we work and live." Hungry Jack's, a fast food chain in Australia, just began trials of a new AI-driven voice assistant for its own drive-through orders. Customers appreciated the system's politeness while the company likely appreciates the potential for late-night staffing. Employees, though, might start to feel the pinch, or start moving to parts of the job that tech can't yet replicate, like solving problems, connecting with people, or hopping in when the system makes a mistake. Australian franchises of KFC have also started testing out AI-driven voice ordering, though customers there have pushed back a bit, saying they prefer human interaction and their orders being misinterpreted by the AI window jockey. Still, even this workplace is evolving as AI starts to support and replace humans in these high-turnover, low-wage roles. As a consumer, you might have to learn how to talk to AI bots, and as a worker, you'll likely need to up your skills to fit roles that need a more human touch. Revolutionizing Healthcare with Ambient Voice AI A doctor speaks during an interview, highlighting how voice AI tools are increasingly being adopted in healthcare settings — from clinical dictation to patient notes. Microsoft's DAX Copilot automates recordkeeping, updates patient records, and can draft care plans all from just listening in to conversations between doctors and patients. The idea is that physicians can spend more time on patient care than on record keeping, thereby improving health outcomes for more people. Microsoft is also transforming the workplace of nurses, with ambient voice and other AI technologies becoming integrated into nursing workflows, alleviating the burden of so much documentation, reducing burnout, and allowing nurses to spend more time on patient care. Global Reach and No-Code Tools for Voice AI A startup in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) in southern India is offering a no-code conversational AI platform that lets other businesses deploy real-time, multilingual voice agents for customer support and services. Ring AI has expanded beyond India to the Middle East and Latin America, supporting languages like Arabic and Spanish. Global workplaces that couldn't afford the high-cost development of their own voice AI systems can now contract with Ringg AI and deploy AI agents to help them with their businesses. While that does mean that AI tools may replace workers at major companies, it does mean that smaller shops can afford the cost of entry to compete on the level of voice AI at larger corporations. Gev Balyan, CEO of Hoory AI says, "Startups and solopreneurs now have an always-on assistant — answering calls, qualifying leads, booking — at enterprise scale, without enterprise cost." What It All Means For You A glowing AI key on a sleek keyboard symbolizes how artificial intelligence — including voice-powered assistants — is becoming a built-in part of everyday work tools. So what does the current adoption of Voice AI mean for you. Whether you're running (or taking) meetings, answering customer support calls, or just trying to get through all the email you receive in a day, Voice AI is likely becoming a bigger part of your day, whether you realize it or not. The tools are changing how we connect with colleagues and higher-ups, the tasks that make up our daily work, and even what kinds of jobs are growing (or shrinking). As an employee, it could mean you'll do fewer routine tasks and spend more time thinking, making decisions, or even managing these AI tools directly. But you'll still need to learn to work with AI, knowing what it's good at, how to manage it when if makes mistakes, and how to communicate with AI tools that are always listening. As a business owner, you might feel like AI will boost your workers' productivity while reducing costs, but you'll also need to keep an eye out on issues of privacy, trust, and training. You may want to start hiring people who have higher levels of judgment, empathy, and communication to be able to work with your new AI systems. Bottom line, AI isn't coming for your job all at once, but it is coming to change parts of your job already. The best thing here is to stay relevant by focusing on what you can do that AI can't, yet: connect with others, understand nuance, and adapt when things go off the rails. Originally published on Tech Times
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Legal And Security Experts Say AI Notetakers Have Big Downsides — And Could Even Get You In Legal Trouble
Lately, the new attendee to your meeting is likely an artificially intelligent notetaker. In the past two years, AI notetakers have spawned everywhere. Google, Microsoft, and many other firms pitch their AI notetakers as the most convenient way to 'boost meeting productivity,' as Google claims, by quickly recapping key points of what was said and what should be done next if you let them join your meeting. But do you really want these bots as your guests at your next meeting? The main problem with these tools is how often they can be inaccurate ― and yet they can create a lasting record that may one day be used against you. 'AI programs are designed to give you an answer, not the answer,' explained Erica Wilson, a Fisher Phillips lawyer who advises businesses on using AI notetakers. When I used Google's AI notetaker, Gemini, for my team's monthly brainstorm, I noticed the AI-generated transcript assigned me stories I didn't agree to write, which could have created headaches if I didn't double-check its work. Even Gemini itself warned me in its summary that I 'should review Gemini's notes to make sure they're accurate,' which, for me, defeats the convenience of using it in the first place. AI has a known problem of making stuff up, or having 'hallucinations,' as researchers call it. In worst cases, these hallucinations could lead to lawsuits, as people may now believe you said something you didn't. Wilson outlined a nightmare scenario of an AI notetaker horribly interpreting someone's words and having that transcript stay in inboxes. 'This information would be discoverable in a lawsuit,' she said. In other words, if you or the company get sued because an employee believes that meeting was really important for their case, your inaccurate AI-generated meeting notes might become a huge problem. You might think you can focus on the meeting, because your AI notetaker is going to transcribe it for you. But with that time you spend using the AI notetaker, you also will now have to budget time for reviewing 'the transcript and the summary before you send it out to everybody to make sure that it's not wildly wrong. And at that point, have we defeated the purpose of increasing our productivity by having the note taker?' Wilson asked. Besides the inaccuracy headaches, there is also the issue of consent. Many programs, like Google's Gemini, announce the presence of an AI notetaker through icons and a text disclosure, but not all do, depending on the AI notetaker you use. With some, you might not even know they are in the meeting with you. 'You have some software programs where people are sending AI agents to attend meetings on their behalf, and they don't necessarily all announce that they are not actually that person,' Wilson said. Using an AI notetaker that records and generates transcripts of what was said without people's consent could potentially be illegal. There are at least 10 states, including California, Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts, that require 'all-party consent' for recording, meaning everyone on the call must agree to be recorded. If these privacy and legal downsides are not enough to dissuade you, at the very least, give everyone a heads-up that you are bringing an AI notetaker as your plus-one. At a bare minimum, this general disclosure would happen before you start using it and would involve letting participants know 'how it's being recorded and how that information is going to be used,' Wilson said. And it would let people opt out of the meeting if they don't want to be in a room with an AI notetaker, too. Or better yet: You might decide to assign a human notetaker instead, so that person who is uncomfortable with an AI notetaker can still attend the meeting. It's clear why the companies behind these AI notetakers want us to use their services at meetings: For one, our chattering helps to train their AI products. Language learning models are running out of fresh human-generated data needed to grow, and there are an estimated 55 million work meetings in America per day that could become a never-ending AI training source. But it's less clear why we should readily follow these tech firms' leads and use AI to document every moment of our corporate lives. Wilson said AI notetakers could be useful in large 50-person all-hands meetings where not everyone is expected to contribute, but become more of a legal issue in smaller group settings where people are expected to share. She said that if you want to add one to your next meeting, you should consider, 'Is this really collaborative? Are we really getting use out of it, or are we just using it for the sake of using it? And for the people who are uncomfortable with it, do we have meaningful alternatives?' Know that no one enjoys being surveilled, and AI notetakers can change our behavior for the worse. I've noticed that in meetings where I see one is present, I will be more cautious about my wording and speak less overall. 'If people are less willing to speak freely or candidly or honestly, if they feel like they can't try out new ideas or make mistakes, that's a real cost,' said Susan McGregor, a researcher at Columbia University's Data Science Institute. 'Especially in an environment where people at least say that they value innovation and creativity ... How are you going to do that if you're concerned that a misstep or a misstatement in a live meeting might be permanently inscribed?' She makes a compelling case for the value of simply taking notes yourself. McGregor said some people may use these AI tools 'to avoid having to prioritize' what actually matters about a meeting, but that's what note-taking is all about. When done well, note-taking teaches you to synthesize and make relevant connections about what was said, so you can decide what is best to do next. And if you miss a meeting, you could simply ask a human who was there for help instead of an AI notetaker. They could tell you, 'watch out, chapter six is going to be on the midterm,' McGregor said as an example. 'That is a meaningful, prioritized, synthesized summary.' Ultimately, you can choose to endure all the legal and psychological headaches and use an AI notetaker, or you can simply use your own brain to start typing in a document, stress-free, about key points. I know which one I'll be choosing for my next meeting. TikTokers Are Secretly Filming Their Layoffs. There's A Major Risk With That. Before You Secretly Record Your Boss, Consider This What Real-Life Whistleblowers Want You To Know
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Scotsman
Human transcribers more accurate than AI, study reveals
The typical AI error rate hovered around 38%. | Shutterstock A comprehensive study comparing automated speech recognition to human transcription revealed that AI-based tools significantly lag in accuracy. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The study, conducted by Ditto Transcripts , tested eight AI transcription platforms - including TurboScribe, Notta, Amazon Transcribe, Sonix, Trint, and Microsoft Speech Recognition. They found that AI transcription had an average performance of just 62 per cent against human-made transcripts, which rated 99 per cent. According to the study, fourteen 15-minute audio recordings from legal, medical, and general business settings were submitted to each platform analysis. The audios featured a numbers of speakers, from single-person monologues to multi-speaker board meetings and congressional testimonies. The best-performing platform in this AI test was Sonix, with 73 per cent accuracy when adjusted for margin of error, while the lowest was Trint and Amazon Transcribe at just 61 per cent. What mistakes was AI making? It was revealed that AI struggled significantly with multiple speakers - even when speech was not overlapping - and was especially prone to errors when processing group speech, such as the Pledge of Allegiance. Four out of eight platforms failed to transcribe the pledge altogether in one of the tests. In other instances, single-word responses like 'Aye' were routinely misheard or omitted. Moreover, some platforms introduced entirely fabricated content when faced with unclear audio. Notta and Amazon Transcribe offered similarly incorrect interpretations - and this tendency to "hallucinate" content underscores AI's limitations in interpreting context and nuance. Speaker labelling was another weak point, with several AI-generated transcripts misidentifying the number of speakers or reassigned dialogue inaccurately mid-sentence. However, when challenged with the same audio bites, Ditto's in-house human transcribers achieved a 99% accuracy rate, with an error rate of around 1 per cent. The typical AI error rate hovered around 38%. Human transcribers achieved a 99% accuracy rate, with an error rate of around 1 per cent. | Shutterstock The consequences of inaccurate transcripts Speaking on the shock result, a Ditto transcripts spokesperson, said: 'Automated systems struggle with overlapping voices, complex dialogue, and contextual interpretation. 'These are common conditions in legal, medical, and law enforcement settings, where accuracy is non-negotiable.' The study also documented user experience issues - with some software requiring certain formats to submit the transcription. These transcription errors, if continued, would lead to serious outcomes. For example, a misidentified voice in a wiretap led to a year-long wrongful imprisonment; a dosage error caused by outsourced transcription resulted in a $140 million lawsuit against a hospital; and a prisoner was released 33 years early due to a misread sentencing transcript. According to the research, AI transcription may be useful for note-taking or casual use, but for professional settings, particularly those involving legal, medical, or regulatory documents, human transcription remains the more dependable choice. The full report, including detailed methodology and comparisons, is available from Ditto Transcripts, a FINRA, HIPAA, and CJIS-compliant transcription provider based in Denver, Colorado. How each AI platform performed after adjusting for margin of error: Sonix: 72.61% TurboScribe: 68.57% Notta: 67.41% 64.86% 64.41% Microsoft Speech-to-Text: 61.93% Amazon Transcribe: 60.81% Trint: 60.77%
Technical.ly
4 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
AI tools won't replace storytellers, but these 7 tools can make the job easier
AI won't replace human storytellers, but it can supplement their approach for a wider reach. That was the underlying message of 'AI Tools for Storytelling: For Places, Companies & Brands,' a panel at the 2025 Builders Conference that drew professionals across civic, nonprofit and private sectors. Moderated by GateCheck Studio's Sean Blanda, the conversation featured Alanah Davis, Baltimore's chief storyteller, and Tim Kulp, chief innovation officer at Mind Over Machines. While AI is a powerful assistant, storytelling still needs human direction, according to the panelists. Plus, there are certain things the tech just can't replicate. 'Don't go to [AI] for expertise,' Kulp said. 'You have the expertise. Go to it to help you format and formulate that expertise.' At Mind Over Machines, Kulp's team uses Microsoft 365 Copilot and a custom agent called 'Katie' to track projects, extract useful case studies and support onboarding. For teams just starting with AI, Kulp warned against treating it as a low-stakes sandbox. 'You want to have a use case that is actually going to create the impact and change,' Kulp said, 'and that's not going to happen if everybody has a mindset of 'that's just the playground.'' Start with tasks like repurposing content or summarizing transcripts, he said, and measure against manual workflows to establish return on investment. That clarity helps with internal buy-in, builds momentum and encourages what he called 'the curious mindset.' Using AI doesn't mean losing authenticity As Baltimore's first chief storyteller, Davis faces the challenge of sharing narratives from a city government that's still catching up with 21st-century tech. In her role, Davis wants to use AI tools like for transcription, but municipal IT restrictions often block or delay access. That means finding workarounds, like off-platform Google accounts or partnering with freelancers who can use the tools she can't. Still, Davis remains optimistic about what AI can offer, particularly when it comes to outreach. 'I think it's important that we're learning it and that we're not afraid of it,' she said. 'I like to embrace it, even though I'm all about connection, humanity [and] authenticity.' The AI tools worth your time So what tools are worth checking out? The panelists shared a short list. But keep in mind, panelists said: Whether you're working in city hall or a startup accelerator, the human component is irreplaceable. 'In order to do this, you have to have good storytelling already,' Davis said. 'Get the basic thing right before you extend it.'
