Last year, we published a list of voice AI conferences to attend in 2020, and planned to attend a few of those ourselves. As you all know, many of these events didn’t go as planned and many conferences either were canceled entirely or went virtual-only. It was great to connect with people from all over the world via these virtual events, many of which saw growth in attendance due to the convenience of attending from anywhere.

Looking ahead to 2021, most voice industry conferences are either still on hold or moving forward as virtual meetups and digital events. We’re sharing some of the virtual conferences currently open for registration. As the year progresses, we’ll update this list to include more virtual and, hopefully, live events.

Here are 7 virtual voice industry events to jumpstart your year of learning and inspiration on all things voice including trends, technologies, successes, and solutions:

1. CES 2021

Event Summary: 

CES is the most influential tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world’s biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES features every aspect of the tech sector.

Read about the new all-digital CES 2021 here.

When: January 11-14

2. The European Chatbot & Conversational AI Summit

Event Summary: 

The European Chatbot & Conversational AI Summit is a two-day virtual conference and exhibition designed to host 1000+ industry executives, developers, engineers, and adopters of  conversational AI, chatbots, speech or voice technology, UX design, NLP, and virtual assistants. The summit will reflect the latest tendencies and recent application changes in the conversational AI space in the European market.

When: Feb 4 – 5

3. The Voice of Mobile Apps 

Event Summary:

The Voice of Mobile Apps examines one of the hottest areas of voice AI: integrating voice into existing mobile applications. The four-hour virtual event will feature a number of leading companies and executives who are pioneering the integration of voice and conversational AI into mobile applications, and the results of those efforts.

When: February 18

4. EmTech Digital (Virtual)

Event Summary: 

EmTech Digital is MIT Technology Review’s annual event and is entirely focused on artificial intelligence, the most world-changing innovation of our time. Important new discoveries in the field are being made every day, and AI has moved from theory to practice at many companies. For more than 20 years, MIT Technology Review has presented curated explorations into the business impact of technology for audiences all over the world.

When: March 23-25

5. CONNECTIONS

Event Summary: 

In the 20+ years that Parks Associates has hosted CONNECTIONS™, the connected home has evolved from a high-end concept toward a mass-market opportunity with incredible revenue potential. Today, several high-profile market disruptions are emerging as a result of broadband adoption, smartphone usage, and consumer expectations for connectivity solutions that provide a personalized experience.

When: CONNECTIONS will feature 7 sessions throughout the year: March 24, May 12, May 25-26, July 14, August 18, September 22, and November 9-10.

6. Project Voice Worldwide 

Event Summary: 

Project Voice Worldwide is the two-day virtual event hosted by Score Publishing. The firm’s Project Voice Series is a worldwide portfolio of live events on voice technology and conversational AI. Project Voice Worldwide will feature a wide variety of thought leaders and pioneers helping move voice forward, from across the world. 

When: April 15-16

7. Chatbot Conference Online 

Event Summary: 

The event will feature speakers from the top enterprises and brands using chatbots and AI as well as speakers from the top chatbot and AI startups.

When: Spring 2021

Note: We will continue to update this list as we learn about new events and updates.

If you’re an event organizer or an attendee and you’d like to share information about a voice AI event that we’ve missed, please let us know and we’ll consider including it.

Looking for other ways to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the voice-first community? Here’s a list of podcasts we love:

• Voicebot Podcast, Bret Kinsella
• VUX World, Kane Simms
• Voice Tech Podcast, Carl Robinson
• The AI Podcast, Noah Kravitz
• This Week in Voice, Bradley Metrock
• The Smart Speakers Daily, Peter Stewart

Webinars are another good way to hear what the experts have to say. We had the honor of talking to some of the leaders in voice AI this year on a variety of topics and plan to continue our webinar series into 2021. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for updates on our next webinar.

Developers interested in exploring Houndify’s independent voice AI platform can visit Houndify.com to register for a free account or talk to us about how we can help you bring your voice strategy to life.

Karen Scates is a storyteller with a passion for helping others through content. Argentine tango, good books and great wine round out Karen’s interests.