Whither Speech Technology?A Twenty-First Century Perspective

Steven GreenbergInternational Computer Science Institute1947 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/~stevengsteveng@icsi.berkeley.edu

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology

The Coming Crisis in Speech TechnologySpeech Technology Research is Currently in a Parlous State

The Coming Crisis in Speech TechnologySpeech Technology Research is Currently in a Parlous StateA Train Wreck About to Happen

The Coming Crisis in Speech TechnologySpeech Technology Research is Currently in a Parlous StateA Train Wreck About to Happen

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing – Government funding tends to conform to “boom” or “bust” cycles

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing – Government funding tends to conform to “boom” or “bust” cycles– A few sites tend to obtain the lion’s share of the available funding

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing – Government funding tends to conform to “boom” or “bust” cycles– A few sites tend to obtain the lion’s share of the available funding– This is no way to sustain innovative research development

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing – Government funding tends to conform to “boom” or “bust” cycles– A few sites tend to obtain the lion’s share of the available funding– This is no way to sustain innovative research development

• The Situation is Likely to Worsen Over the Coming Years

The Coming Crisis in Speech Technology• Demands on Speech Technology are Increasing Dramatically

– Its incorporation into operating systems, voice portals, call centers, etc. is accelerating

• This Increasing Demand is Placing Severe Pressure on Academic Sites– There is relatively little funding to support the training of speech savvy engineers and

scientists– From whence will come the future innovators and leaders in speech technology?

• Yet the Ability to Truly Satisfy Such Demands is Not Readily Apparent– The quality of current speech technology is mediocre (or worse)– The pace of scientific and engineering innovation is slowing

• The Commercial Sector is Likely to Experience Severe Disappointment– Resulting in significant consumer backlash and cutbacks in speech tech development– Retrenchment in the corporate sector is already beginning to occur

• Government Funding for Speech Technology Research is Slowing – Government funding tends to conform to “boom” or “bust” cycles– A few sites tend to obtain the lion’s share of the available funding– This is no way to sustain innovative research development

• The Situation is Likely to Worsen Over the Coming Years – Is there “light” at the end of this “Dark Valley”?

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore– Biotech of the 1970’s and 1980’s promised much, but delivered relatively little

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore– Biotech of the 1970’s and 1980’s promised much, but delivered relatively little– There was massive investment in Biotech (Genentech, etc.) over a 20-year interval

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore– Biotech of the 1970’s and 1980’s promised much, but delivered relatively little– There was massive investment in Biotech (Genentech, etc.) over a 20-year interval– Significant returns from Biotech investment are only now coming to fruition

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore– Biotech of the 1970’s and 1980’s promised much, but delivered relatively little– There was massive investment in Biotech (Genentech, etc.) over a 20-year interval– Significant returns from Biotech investment are only now coming to fruition

• Biotech and Pharmaceutical Companies Invest $Billions in Academia

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There are Parallels between Today’s Speech Tech and the Biotech of Yore– Biotech of the 1970’s and 1980’s promised much, but delivered relatively little– There was massive investment in Biotech (Genentech, etc.) over a 20-year interval– Significant returns from Biotech investment are only now coming to fruition

• Biotech and Pharmaceutical Companies Invest $Billions in Academia– This amount stands in stark contrast to the paltry sums invested by speech tech

From Alchemy to Speech Technology

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley”

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley” – A scenario that focuses on the potential for speech technology to transform our lives

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley” – A scenario that focuses on the potential for speech technology to transform our lives

(for the better)

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley” – A scenario that focuses on the potential for speech technology to transform our lives

(for the better)– Building on technology’s capability of fostering a boom in the communications

industry

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley” – A scenario that focuses on the potential for speech technology to transform our lives

(for the better)– Building on technology’s capability of fostering a boom in the communications

industry– And helping to alleviate behavioral deficits associated with communication disorders

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• There is an Alternative Scenario to the “Dark Valley” – A scenario that focuses on the potential for speech technology to transform our lives

(for the better)– Building on technology’s capability of fostering a boom in the communications

industry– And helping to alleviate behavioral deficits associated with communication disorders

(such as hearing impairment and speech production problems)

Beyond Freedom and Discipline

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites– Government funding agencies need to fund speech research far more generously

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites– Government funding agencies need to fund speech research far more generously– Industry, government and academic leaders need to define short, intermediate and

long term goals with forethought and precision

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites– Government funding agencies need to fund speech research far more generously– Industry, government and academic leaders need to define short, intermediate and

long terms goals with forethought and precision– But foster creative means with which to accomplish these objectives

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites– Government funding agencies need to fund speech research far more generously– Industry, government and academic leaders need to define short, intermediate and

long terms goals with forethought and precision– But foster creative means with which to accomplish these objectives– In order to effect a balance between scientific and technological perspectives in

defining the speech research of tomorrow

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

• In Order to Kick Start an Age of Innovative Research ….– The Speech Tech industry needs to collaborate far more closely with academic sites– Government funding agencies need to fund speech research far more generously– Industry, government and academic leaders need to define short, intermediate and

long terms goals with forethought and precision– But foster creative means with which to accomplish these objectives– In order to effect a balance between scientific and technological perspectives in

defining the speech research of tomorrow (as well as the coming century)

Towards a “Golden Age” of Speech Research

For Further Information ….

See the Proceedings Paper

For Further Information ….

See the Proceedings Paper

Whither Speech Technology?

For Further Information ….

See the Proceedings Paper

Whither Speech Technology? – A Twenty-First Century Perspective

For Further Information ….

That’s All, FolksMany Thanks for Your Time and Attention