Apple buys AI speech startup that could make Siri sound more natural - The IUSB Preface

Apple has purchased an artificial-intelligence startup that could help make iPhone users' interactions with the virtual assistant Siri more natural. Apple confirmed its purchase of VocalIQ with its usual statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our goal or plans". VocalIQ didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In particular, its technology puts greater effort into giving machines an understanding of the context surrounding any given command, something humans do well and machines can hardly manage at all. The Apple Watch and Apple TV in particular rely heavily on Siri and voice input to understand what the user wants to do.

VocalIQ has been working on new spoken interfaces that could be used in a variety of applications - from the vehicle to wearables to Internet-connected devices in the home.

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