Voice is extremely useful when considering its impact in terms of the Internet. With the spread of the Internet beyond the desktop, as well as 1.5 billion phones in use around the world, Internet-based applications through voice seem a logical progression. Today, Voice XML is used in information retrieval applications to receive news, weather or stock information. Other applications include: directory assistance; e-commerce for banking, stocks or portfolio management; inventory control; outgoing email; and scheduling appointments or automated messages such as wake up calls. These applications can be funded by subscription, advertisement or connect time. As speech recognition software becomes more accurate, several applications will undoubtedly come into play to make our everyday more efficient.

By automating processes such as directory assistance or inventory management, Voice XML may provide several ways for businesses to increase productivity. For example, AT&T has implemented a new Voice XML directory assistance service powered by TellMe. The new system is so effective that automation rate climbed from 8% to 55%, saving AT&T $20 million a year. Equally as astonishing is that customer satisfaction has increased more than 30% with this new automation. The results of this for the end-user mean a point of connectivity that doesn’t rely on large power draining input/output devices such as keyboards and monitors. Voice XML allows the average user to take advantage of several applications while giving them the freedom of mobility.

As automated speech recognition learns to deal with more demanding situations, Voice XML can be combined with a mobile phone touchpad to help correct any imperfections from the ASR system.

The proposition of Voice XML is definite. It shows us a new world of possibilities as ASR grows to help satisfy the needs of our wireless mobile economy.