Europe may force Google and other digital assistants to use more ‘neutral’ accents.

The European Union is planning to implement stricter regulations on AI in the coming years, particularly in the digital assistants space. Voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa from Amazon, and Siri from Apple typically speak with US or UK accents. The European Commission, however, wants to reduce the prominence of these English speaking voices in Europe.<br><br>The proposal aims to promote a more "neutral" accent for digital assistants, rather than the predominantly American or British accents currently used. This change is intended to decrease the influence of foreign cultures in the region.<br><br>The European Union may force Google and other digital assistants to adopt more neutral accents. The regulation, aiming to reduce the prevalence of American & British accents, is part of the AI Act, a broader regulation governing artificial intelligence in the EU.<br><br>From the article:<br><br>“Member States should be able to choose the accents to be used in their territory by generative AI systems that produce voice messages or conversations,” the draft proposal says.<br><br>The Commission is expected to publish its AI Act proposal in late April, although this date may be delayed.<br><br>This is not the first time the EU has taken steps to address the spread of English in the region. In January, the European Commission triggered a spat with Elon Musk’s Tesla by ordering the company to ditch the word “autopilot” in its marketing for the EU. In 2020, the European Commission also urged technology companies not to use English as a default setting for voice assistants in Europe.<br><br>In addition to voice assistants, the AI Act will impact a wide range of sectors, from surveillance to recruitment and education. If passed, the AI Act would be a landmark piece of legislation governing artificial intelligence in Europe.<br><br>The proposal to regulate digital assistants' accents is part of the broader AI Act, which will significantly impact various sectors, including surveillance, recruitment, and education.