Api.ai (formerly Speaktoit) is a developer of human–computer interaction technologies based on natural language conversations. The company is best known for creating the Assistant (by Speaktoit), a virtual buddy for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone smartphones that performs tasks and answers users’ question in a natural language.[1] Speaktoit has also created a natural language processing engine that incorporates conversation context like dialogue history, location and user preferences.
In May 2012, Speaktoit received a venture round (funding terms undisclosed) from Intel Capital.[2] In July 2014, Speaktoit closed their Series B funding led by Motorola Solutions Venture Capital with participation from new investor Plug and Play Ventures and existing backers Intel Capital and Alpine Technology Fund.[3]
In September 2014, Speaktoit released api.ai (the voice-enabling engine that powers Assistant) to third-party developers, allowing the addition of voice interfaces to apps based on Android, iOS, HTML5, and Cordova.[4][5] The SDK’s contain voice recognition, natural language understanding, and text-to-speech. api.ai offers a web interface to build and test conversation scenarios. The platform is based on the natural language processing engine built by Speaktoit for its Assistant application.[4] Api.ai allows Internet of Things developers to include natural language voice interfaces in their products.[6] Assistant and Speaktoit’s websites now redirect to api.ai’s website.
Google bought the company in September 2016[7] and it is now known as API.AI; it provides tools to developers building apps (“Actions”) for the Google Assistant virtual assistant.[8]
The organization discontinued the Assistant app on December 15, 2016.
References
- ^ “The Digital Personal Assistant Problem Siri Still Hasn’t Solved”. Fast Company. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ^ “Speaktoit Secures Funding From Intel”. Bloomberg. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ “Speaktoit Scores $2.6M to Put Virtual Assistant Into Cars, Robots and Wearables”. The Wall Street Journal. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ a b Wierema, Sam (16 September 2014). “Build your own Siri: Api.ai offers voice integration for all”. The Next Web.
- ^ “api.ai Documentation”.
- ^ Tolentino, Mellisa (19 September 2014). “New platforms, upgrades simplify life for IoT developers”. Silicon Angle.
- ^ https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/19/google-acquires-api-ai-a-company-helping-developers-build-bots-that-arent-awful-to-talk-to/
- ^ api.ai
Further reading
- Brandon, John (June 1, 2013). “Speaktoit Review”. Laptop Magazine. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- Hopkins, Brent W (April 3, 2012). “Speaktoit Assistant 0.1.2 review”. PC Advisor. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- Warman, Matt (October 13, 2011). “SpeakToIt Android app review”. The Telegraph. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- “You Can Actually Teach This Virtual Assistant for Android”. Tom’s Guide. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
