“It’s very clear to us the people love voice as a way to interact with this. I feel confident that voice is going to be a big part of how people use AI”
— Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the digital landscape, heralding a future in which traditional websites may become obsolete. This shift is driven by the evolution of intelligent agents capable of finding, integrating and sharing data, knowledge and information with unparalleled accuracy, bias detection and integrity.
All the major companies — Meta, Google, IBM, Apple, OpenAI, Microsoft, Anthropic — are offering voice-enabled conversational AI. It is becoming the new normal.
From click to chat
The transition from traditional web browsing to conversational interfaces is already under way. Students are increasingly relying on chat-based interactions to access information. These AI tools can amalgamate knowledge from various sources, including webpages, videos, podcasts and infographics, presenting it as a cohesive whole. This marks a significant departure from the need to navigate through multiple web pages.
Why voice is being adopted so rapidly
There are at least seven reasons that interacting with voice, as opposed to clicking on websites, is attractive to students and faculty:
- It’s natural — talking is much more natural than typing.
- It’s easier and faster than typing and keeps the hands free for other tasks.
- It’s a familiar way of using technology, especially for users of Alexa, Siri and other voice-activated devices.
- It’s more convenient — chatting is more convenient than typing, reading and looking.
- It feels more personal, especially as the AI begins to understand more about the user, their style and preferences (it remembers).
- It’s highly accessible to those with disabilities or exceptionalities and those with dyslexia.
- It works just as well as other ways of interacting with an AI tool.
Over time, as the “personality” of the AI develops in response to the growing relationship with the user, it becomes like an “always-on” friend.
Generation Z and Alpha: Pioneers of change
Generation Z (born 1997-2012) and Alpha (born 2013 onward) are at the forefront of this transformation. They prefer chat and visual interactions over traditional web searches. Personalized AI tools learn their users' preferences, needs and working styles, continually enhancing their assistance. It no longer matters where a search result appears in a list of results; if it is relevant, the AI will find it.
The rise of digital assistants
Digital assistants are becoming more sophisticated, offering faster, more intelligent support. These assistants are not only efficient but also empathetic, capable of detecting and responding to emotional cues in their users' voices. This empathy is particularly valuable in educational settings, where AI can now support psychological counselling and other mental health services.
Work is under way to create “expert” assistants who are steeped in subject expertise and knowledge so a student chatting with the “expert” in cybersecurity, history of the Māori peoples, the geography of Canada or any other subject knows they are truly expert at the level the student is working at.
Multifaceted support for students
Voice-visual AI digital assistants are poised to revolutionize various aspects of student life. They can assist with learning tasks, manage financial transactions, fill out forms and support the job application processes. They can help analyze data, complete complex coding challenges or help interpret a work of art or piece of music. These assistants can also help students manage their schedules, ensuring they never miss a class or appointment, and monitor their health and well-being.
Students equipped with AI-enabled devices, such as smartwatches or dedicated AI wearable devices, can capture and summarize interactions, translate conversations and extract key observations. This capability extends to creating "to-do" lists, updating contact information and generating new reading or movie suggestions. Note taking will be a thing of the past.
AI digital assistants can also provide personalized pathways to job advice. For instance, a student seeking information about the Red Seal Cook apprenticeship training program can rely on their assistant to find relevant courses and requirements, delivering a comprehensive summary even if the student is on the go.
The implications for higher education
The integration of voice and visual AI tools is a game-changer for higher education. Although websites will still exist, their primary users will increasingly be intelligent agents rather than people. This shift necessitates changes in business processes to accommodate voice commands for form-filling and transactions. Colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes will need to consider adapting their learning and assessment systems to leverage these new technologies.
The present and future of voice-enabled technology
The advancements in voice-enabled technology are happening now, not in some distant future. Generative AIs like ChatGPT-4 — and innovations from tech giants such as Google, Meta, Microsoft and Apple are pushing the boundaries of voice and visual interactivity. These developments underscore the need for educational institutions to stay ahead of the curve and embrace these transformative technologies.
The future of digital interaction is moving away from traditional websites toward a more integrated, conversational, interactive and intelligent approach. Faculty members and students as well as academic administrators, learning designers and policy-makers must prepare for this shift, leveraging AI to enhance learning, streamline processes and provide comprehensive support.
The days of the website as we know it are numbered, and the era of voice and visual AI is upon us.
Concerns with AI — privacy, security, bias, and hallucination, ethics, exclusion — have been expressed for some time and are being addressed both by AI developers and through legislation. Every college, university and Indigenous institute needs to have its own protocols and appropriate use policies aligned with provincial, federal and international law.
Students are already using AI in larger numbers than faculty. It’s time for all of us to talk (not click!) to the future.
