Speechmatics Collaborates With Ambarella to Bring AI-Powered Natural Language Interactions to Edge Applications

Speechmatics, a world leader in AI-powered speech technology, today announced a partnership with Ambarella (NASDAQ: AMBA), an edge AI semiconductor company.

Speechmatics' technology running on Ambarella’s robust, low-power portfolio of CVflow® AI system-on-chips (SoCs) provides machines with groundbreaking capabilities to process complex speech and visual inputs on the fly. The companies will jointly demonstrate this technology during CES next week, running locally on Ambarella’s AI SoCs, without an internet connection.

By combining Ambarella’s edge AI SoCs—which provide industry leading AI performance per watt—with Speechmatics’ foundational speech technology—which excels at understanding diverse accents, languages and contexts—users can now experience seamless, natural device interactions; even in environments without internet connectivity.

This collaboration has significant implications for multiple applications, including advanced robotics, autonomous driving, automotive in-cabin systems, smart cities, security and customer service.

For instance, autonomous warehouse robots could combine visual object recognition with natural voice commands, allowing for more efficient and dynamic workflows. Similarly, in customer-facing scenarios, kiosks and smart assistants could respond to both verbal and visual cues to provide a more personalized and engaging experience. Other applications include voice-activated assistants in remote locations, adaptive smart cameras that respond to voice and visual commands, as well as in-vehicle voice commands and verbal feedback.

“Ambarella is at the forefront of edge AI computing innovation,” said Amit Badlani, Director of Generative AI and Robotics at Ambarella. “Our partnership with Speechmatics opens a new world of possibilities for natural language understanding at the edge.”

“Speechmatics’ conversational voice AI technology supports a wide range of speech-to-speech deployments, from on-camera to robotics and larger on-premise deployments in smart city use cases,” said Katy Wigdahl, CEO of Speechmatics. “This means users can benefit from the low latency and privacy intrinsic to edge computing, whilst still gaining the huge value of natural language interactions. It also gives users tight control over costs, which can be unpredictable with cloud deployments. This collaboration will redefine what’s possible in the fields of autonomous machines, smart cities and customer service.”

Speechmatics’ technology is renowned for its ability to accurately understand speech in over 50 languages, regardless of accents or dialects. With the recent launch of its conversational voice AI, they have now moved into the world of voice-powered AI interactions.

This technology perfectly complements Ambarella’s powerful AI processors, creating seamless interactions between machines and their environments. Together, these technologies enable applications such as voice-commanded industrial robots, automated customer-engagement kiosks, and intelligent monitoring systems.

Wigdahl continued, “This partnership marks an exciting step forward for human-machine interaction. Speechmatics is supported on Ambarella’s entire portfolio of CVflow AI SoCs, which enables a huge range of devices with voice interactivity. We’re thrilled to work together to drive innovation in the edge AI space.”

“This is just the beginning,” added Badlani. “Ambarella is committed to advancing edge AI technologies, and we see this partnership as a launchpad for creating smarter, more adaptive solutions across robotics, industrial automation and smart cities.”

Ambarella and Speechmatics will be jointly demonstrating this technology at Ambarella’s invitation-only exhibition during CES in Las Vegas next week. Contact your Ambarella or Speechmatics representative to schedule a meeting at this exclusive event.

About Speechmatics Speechmatics is a leading provider of automatic speech recognition technology, enabling organizations to unlock the power of voice. With best-in-class accuracy and language coverage, Speechmatics powers speech-enabled solutions worldwide.