InformationWeek: The Business Value of Technology

SpeechWorks International Inc. will offer software modules that let business developers and system integrators create programs allowing voice access to SAP R/3 applications. By September, SpeechWorks plans to provide speech-recognition modules for SAP's sales and distribution, employee self-service, and customer-interaction center applications. The modules can be used, for example, to let sales reps and customers dial a server by phone to access account and product information. SpeechWorks says it's developing modules for other enterprise resource packages.

Intel and Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products are developing technology that Intel plans to eventually use in servers. L&H developed software that comprehends speech at a natural pace, rather than requiring speakers to pause between words, and has technology that lets people query Web sites and databases by voice or typing. Intel invested $30 million in L&H, and products resulting from the partnership will be available by mid-2000, the companies say.

Although Intel, L&H, and SpeechWorks did not disclose customers or more details about their plans, analysts say they are targeting the right areas. "E-commerce and telephony have the most immediate needs for speech recognition," says Bill Meisel, an analyst with TMA Associates. "As people try to do more and more transactions on the Web and over the telephone, speech recognition becomes the most natural interface."