At the WWDC 2023 keynote event to be held this evening, Apple is expected to introduce a major innovation for its voice assistant Siri. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports, Apple will ensure that the need for the phrase “Hey Siri” is eliminated and only the “Siri” command is enough to activate the virtual assistant.
While the currently used “Hey Siri” command has come naturally to users of Apple devices, Apple engineers seem determined to make the interaction even more seamless. Apple, which will reduce the phrase that launches the application to only “Siri”, aims to improve the user experience by eliminating the need for a two-word command.
Although this change may seem very simple, it brings with it various challenges of its own. Teaching Siri to recognize various languages, accents, and dialects is a complex process. Apple needs to be able to ensure that Siri understands user commands correctly, regardless of linguistic differences.
Alongside the launcher phrase change, Apple is also aiming to expand Siri’s compatibility with third-party apps and services. The company hopes to improve the overall functionality of its voice assistant by making Siri easier to use.
A more natural Siri
Apple has also been investing in the development of Siri’s language capabilities for a while. A framework called Siri Natural Language Generation, expected to launch in the near future, promises to make Siri’s responses more natural and expand its vocabulary.
Although this framework is currently in its early stages of development, it has the potential to drastically improve the quality and variety of Siri’s interactions with users. While initial indications suggest that the framework is currently used for more fun sharing such as joking, it is expected to evolve into a more comprehensive linguistic tool.