The answer seems to be nearly everyone! People have been talking into phones for over a century, of course, and text-to-speech transcription is no longer a new technology. However, thanks to AI, our computers and speakers are talking back and (more ominously) always listening.
At the same time as people are increasingly addicted to their phones, the opposite is occurring: thanks to the internet and advances in tech, our technology is integrating more and more into our households. This is even making it more seamless and potentially less distracting from the ‘real world’. AI such as Siri or Google Assistant forms a big part of that transformation, with 55% of households expected to own a smart speaker by 2022.
Siri might not understand everyone, but 20% of searches are now made using voice and SEO professionals will need to adapt accordingly. Interestingly, the demographic most likely to perform voice searches is not the youngest (18-24), but Millenials and Gen X-ers (25-49). This actually makes some sense when you realize that this group may be more likely to use hands-free mode in the car or to be able to afford expensive AI technology. (The methodology also seems suspect, since the older group is a far wider range and would reasonably contain many more users than the younger group). Either way, AI is here to stay, and everyone will have to adapt.