Technology companies developing the next level of artificial intelligence (AI) to make people’s lives easier could find their success hinges on the voice talent they work with to represent their software.

Make no mistake about it; voice talent for AI is an incredibly important point for technology companies to consider before, during and after they bring their software to market. People across the planet are using their voices to communicate with their devices more than at any point in history. Not on a one-to-one level, but having entire conversations with their personal assistants.

Voice-controlled device use is set to triple in 2018 according to research by Narvar, with hardware such as Google Home and Amazon Echo leading the way. There’s a huge market out there that’s becoming competitive. Giving your AI program some personality with the right voice talent can help set you apart from the competition.

Why you need to think about voice talent for AI right now

The AI/personal assistant market is only set to grow. More and more developers are switching onto the opportunities their software could provide, especially when considering it costs as low as $14 to buy an RK3229. The RK3229 is a chip pre-certified by Google that can add voice-assistance technology to any device.

So, cue a future of plain, boring AI voices to communicate with when you want basic tasks completing, right? Wrong; developers across the world are realizing that when it comes to creating personal assistants, the emphasis has to be largely on ‘personal’. That’s where working with professional voice talent can help developers to create something unique and different that makes consumers take notice.

The more human and ‘like you’ your AI’s voice is to your target market, the better your chances of success. Capturing the right vocal approach can also, in itself, be something of a clever marketing move to raise brand awareness.

Take Vee for instance. Digital agency Vayner Media has used Vee AI to combine hundreds of their employees’ voices into one recorded message. Not only does it show the power of Vee, but it’s also worked as a viral marketing campaign to attract the attention of the growing ‘humanization’ trend making its way across social media.

Matching the right voice talent with your brand

Whether you want your AI’s voice to be more assertive or more peer-orientated, your choice can have a huge impact on your software’s overall success. With that in mind it pays to partner with a specialist voice agency who can help you to choose the right voice talent for you, evaluate the needs of the market and refine all aspects of your content in a strictly-controlled post-production environment.

Jim Cridlin, global head of innovation at Mindshare puts it best when he says: Voice, as a thing rather than an abstract concept, opens up a whole new palette for branding, which traditionally has been very visual.” Choosing the right tone, gender, personality, age and more are all key factors to consider when you’re looking to take on the growing global AI market and make a serious impact.

With more than 1,500 voice talents available fluent in over 90 languages, Voice Talent Online works with developers and creators to help them find the perfect voice to enhance their brand.