The Linux Foundation has created a new open source industry association called Open Voice Network (OVN).
The new group is an independently managed fund of the Linux Foundation with the aim of improving trust, choice, inclusiveness and openness in voice recognition technology and focuses primarily on ethics.
The first OVN press release states that the association will focus on these areas:
- Standards development: Research and recommendations for global standards that enable user choice, inclusiveness and trust.
- Industry value and awareness: Identify and share best practices for AI in conversation that is both horizontal and specific to vertical industries and serve as a source of insights and value for voice assistance.
- Advocacy: Cooperation with and through existing industry associations on relevant regulatory and legislative issues, including data protection.
Membership in the Open Voice Network involves supporting its research, raising awareness and advocacy through direct resource contributions, and actively participating in its conferences and workshops.
Rolf Schumann, founding member of the OVN and Schwarz Gruppe Chief Digital Officer points out the great need for ethical design and standards in speech recognition and explains that language contains more information than a fingerprint and can contain data about the emotional state or mental health of a user.
It is important to introduce data protection standards to protect the privacy of users.
Sponsorship memberships of the Open Voice Network are available to companies at the Platinum, Gold and “Advocate” levels at $100K, $50K and $7.5K per year with platinum sponsors on the OVN Steering Committee and the other two levels on the Committee.
Individuals and smaller companies wishing to get involved can do so as friends of the Open Voice Network – an obligation that requires voluntary participation and signing of a charter, but not cash donations.
For more information, read the original story in Arstechnica.
