{"id":3732,"date":"2026-01-21T13:39:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T13:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/?p=3732"},"modified":"2026-01-21T13:40:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T13:40:47","slug":"voice-assistants-and-accent-bias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/voice-assistants-and-accent-bias\/","title":{"rendered":"Voice Assistants and Accent Bias"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3732\" class=\"elementor elementor-3732\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ef222f3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ef222f3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb85bae\" data-id=\"bb85bae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4755730 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4755730\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Voice_Assistants_and_Accent_Bias\"><\/span>Voice Assistants and Accent Bias<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47838f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"47838f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0909ade elementor-icon-list--layout-inline elementor-align-end elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"0909ade\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items elementor-inline-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-hashtag\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Exclusion<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-586ebd2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"586ebd2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e0bfc77\" data-id=\"e0bfc77\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a8d774b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a8d774b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_does_this_case_study_involve\"><\/span>Who does this case study involve?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-33c55e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"33c55e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Users with strong regional or non-native accents<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-99d5fde\" data-id=\"99d5fde\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e21c46f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e21c46f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/undraw_People_re_8spw-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-image-2394\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e777fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"2e777fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-912d297 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"912d297\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_case\"><\/span>The case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d66f5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8d66f5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Voice assistants are now commonly used in smartphones, smart speakers, and vehicles to perform tasks such as searching for information, setting reminders, and controlling devices. These systems rely on automatic speech recognition technologies trained on large datasets of recorded speech. However, many users report that voice assistants struggle to accurately recognise accents that differ from those most commonly represented in training data.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Research has shown that speakers with strong regional accents or non-native accents experience higher error rates and frequent misinterpretations. Users often report having to slow down, simplify their speech, or adopt a more \u201cstandard\u201d accent to be understood. Over time, this leads to frustration and discourages continued use of the technology.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-026f85c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"026f85c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d9e86d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0d9e86d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Findings\"><\/span>Findings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51b42d8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51b42d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>This case demonstrates how linguistic diversity can be overlooked in technology design. Accent bias in voice assistants creates exclusion by privileging certain speech patterns while marginalising others. Addressing this issue requires more diverse speech datasets, inclusive testing practices, and recognition that language variation is a social norm rather than an error.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fa1b66 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2fa1b66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3210c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f3210c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"References\"><\/span>References<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d47d31 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3d47d31\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Koenecke, A. et al. (2020) \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1915768117\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Racial disparities in automated speech recognition<\/a>\u201d, <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em>, 117(14), pp. 7684\u20137689.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Voice Assistants and Accent Bias Exclusion Who does this case study involve? Users with strong regional or non-native accents The case Voice assistants are now commonly used in smartphones, smart speakers, and vehicles to perform tasks such as searching for information, setting reminders, and controlling devices. These systems rely on automatic speech recognition technologies trained [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"zakra_sidebar_layout":"customizer","zakra_remove_content_margin":false,"zakra_sidebar":"customizer","zakra_transparent_header":"customizer","zakra_logo":0,"zakra_main_header_style":"default","zakra_menu_item_color":"","zakra_menu_item_hover_color":"","zakra_menu_item_active_color":"","zakra_menu_active_style":"","zakra_page_header":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3732"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3736,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3732\/revisions\/3736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascnet.ie\/inclusion4eu-website\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}