Edge and embedded voice assistants offer exceptional convenience and functionality through advanced Natural Language Understanding (NLU) capabilities, increased processing power, and improved speed and accuracy, even in noisy environments. Wake words embedded on the device are always on and ready to respond to a “wake up” prompt—while keeping power consumption low and user privacy high. 

Cloud-only voice assistants in environments where access to the cloud is not consistently available run the risk of inconsistent performance, lack of usefulness, and possible abandonment by the user. Edge and embedded voice assistants don’t require connection to the cloud and can function even in remote areas, such as passing through a tunnel or forest in a car or out at sea on a cruise ship, or when the internet is simply not available. 

Personalized experiences without privacy concerns

Personalization adds a layer of value to the voice experience for users and brands. Consumers looking for experiences that are easier, more convenient, and faster are better able to get their needs met by voice assistants that offer a level of personalization and respond with answers and suggestions based on context and the user’s previous interactions. These consumers are willing to share their information with brands they trust in order to get the level of service personalization can bring. In fact, according to Merkle, 76% of customers are comfortable sharing their data for personalization. With edge and embedded voice assistants, though, users don’t have to choose between personalization and privacy. Product manufacturers can deliver both. 

Voice AI users can benefit from personalization with the convenience of saved payment information for future purchases or recommendations based on previous commands. These conveniences are especially needed in the hospitality and healthcare sectors where privacy and security are of the utmost concern.

In a hotel or on a cruise ship, guests can program lights, window coverings, and temperature settings for rooms, or order room service and housekeeping without concerns that their conversations will be collected and stored. In these settings, guests often have the option of clearing their information from the local device before they leave. 

In the healthcare industry, doctors and nurses can pre-set voice-enabled medical device specifications before surgery or examination without sharing specific patient information to the cloud and maintaining patient confidentiality.

Companies also benefit from delivering personalized experiences. Personalized experiences not only increase brand loyalty and user engagement. They can also increase revenue. According to Statista, 93% of B2B marketers attributed revenue growth to personalization. Edge and embedded voice assistants give users and brands the advantages of personalized experiences while keeping personal data secure on the device. 

Edge voice assistants have the option of some cloud connectivity for updates and retrieving information without storing user information in the cloud. Instead, voice assistants on the edge can keep all user information stored locally on-device without the need to share it with the cloud. Whether the data is a name, phone number, passwords, search history, or more sensitive information, such as payments or patient information, it will never be able to be accessed on the internet with edge voice assistants designed for privacy.

Personalized experiences that don’t create privacy concerns require transparency and communication to users about which data is collected and how it is used. If partnering with a third-party voice AI provider, such as Amazon or Google, companies may never see users’ data and have little control over how it is used. Brands seeking to provide trusted, personalized voice experiences will want to partner with an independent voice AI platform provider to develop a customized voice assistant that delivers a unique experience to their customers and allows the company to own their customer relationships and data.

Advanced safety features for home and car

Consumers are increasingly looking for security measures to ensure the safety of themselves, their families, and their belongings. According to a ResearchandMarkets report, the global market for Home Security Systems was estimated at $52 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow to $82.3 billion by 2027.