Yahoo Finance

BURLINGTON, Mass., May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader pioneering conversational AI-powered user experiences, today announced an expanded collaboration with its long-time partner and distributor, Code Factory, to introduce VoiceTopping, a new solution that will bring conversational AI to self-service kiosks in a variety of industries. The announcement marks an important step as Cerence AI begins its strategic expansion into new markets, bringing the power of voice interaction to user experiences beyond automotive.

VoiceTopping integrates embedded voice interaction technology into existing self-service kiosks, adding natural, spoken communication that enables users to hear and respond to on-screen information using their voice. Leveraging Cerence conversational AI, including core voice technologies and speech signal enhancement, VoiceTopping will help make engaging with kiosks simpler and more user-friendly, even in noisy environments. The solution will be particularly relevant in restaurant and hospitality, retail and self-checkout, healthcare, transportation, banking, and entertainment settings. With VoiceTopping, a typical user interaction could go as follows:

• Kiosk: Hi, how can I help you today?

• User: Could I see the menu, please?

• Kiosk: Here you go! (Kiosk displays menu on screen.)

• User: Show me the burger selection.

• Kiosk showcases all burgers on screen.

• User: I would like a Pulled Pork Burger – with BBQ sauce and no onions.

• Kiosk: Here you go! (Kiosk adds burger to cart.) Would you like to add a drink, or anything else?

• User: Add a Coke Zero, please.

• Kiosk: Here you go! (Kiosk adds beverage to cart.)

• User: That’s everything – I’m ready to check out.

• Kiosk: Which payment method would you like to use?

• User: Card, please.

• Kiosk shows order total and tip options. User completes the transaction.

• Kiosk: You're all set!

“With our decades of experience in conversational AI in the car, we are well versed in the power that voice interaction has to transform user experiences across a wide variety of sectors,” said Brian Krzanich, CEO, Cerence AI. “Expanding our long-term partnership with Code Factory to work together to address the self-service kiosk market is a natural evolution of our technology. Our proven solutions are perfectly suited to transform kiosk experiences, making them faster, more intuitive, and more accessible for users across industries.”

For users, VoiceTopping will deliver an enhanced UX that enables them to quickly communicate with the kiosk via voice. In addition, as a touchless solution, VoiceTopping will enhance accessibility, a critical step as accessibility requirements, including the European Accessibility Act (EAA), are coming into effect worldwide. For kiosk manufacturers, integration and deployment will be simple – VoiceTopping is a plug-and-play solution that seamlessly integrates with the kiosk, enabling added capabilities without the need for extensive hardware modifications. Ongoing development efforts are enhancing the technology behind VoiceTopping, bringing improved experiences to users.