Webex: Live subtitles for 100+ languages
Webex
Thanks to the use of an artificial intelligence system developed by Cisco, by the end of the month on Webex it will be possible to activate the real-time transcription of conversations from English to over 100 languages around the world. In May, the functionality will then be made available in its final form as an integral part of the service, for everyone.Transcription of conversations in over 100 languages on Webex
The goal is to breaking down barriers in communications, thus creating a more inclusive context even for those who are not too familiar with the language spoken by collaborators, partners or customers. Below is the video that shows the news in action.The function actually shows the subtitles generated on the basis of what is said by those who participate in the meeting. It is in addition to the more than 50 unpublished ones introduced in December with the launch of the new version of the platform: from the restyling of the interface to the system for the cancellation of background noise. Here are the words of Jeetu Patel, SVP and Cisco's GM Security and Applications.
These inclusive Webex features help create a level playing field for users regardless of factors such as language or provenance. Enabling global transcriptions in real time is another step towards an inclusive future and an important component in improving communication and collaboration between teams. AI technologies play a vital role in enabling unhindered collaboration, creating hybrid and intelligent work environments and delivering the experiences Cisco is known for.
The declared goal for the future is to extend the support of Real-Time Translations beyond English, allowing the transcription of what is spoken in other languages as well. Over the last year Cisco has invested heavily in Webex, improving the service to meet the needs that emerged with the large-scale adoption of smart working, intervening when necessary to correct imperfections and also focusing on the field of teaching a distance.
Source: Cisco
Cisco's Webex debuts free, real-time translation from English to 100+ languages
© Provided by ZDNetCisco on Tuesday announced free-real, time translation for Webex, its fast-growing videoconferencing platform. The feature, available in preview this month and generally available in May, will translate spoken English into captions in any one of more than 100 languages.
Real-time translation in so many languages will help create 'a level playing field for users regardless of factors like language or geography,' Jeetu Patel, SVP and GM Security and Applications for Cisco, said in a statement. 'Enabling global Real Time Translations is another step toward powering an Inclusive Future, and an important component of driving better communication and collaboration across teams.'
Cisco previously said it would offer real-time translation from English to more than 10 languages -- now, Webex says its language library has dramatically expanded. Translations are available in commonly-used languages, such as Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish, as well as more localized languages like Danish, Hindi, Malay, Turkish and Vietnamese.
Cisco noted that the feature could be a clear money-saver for organizations, citing a recent report from Metrigy on intelligent virtual assistants that found that nearly 24 percent of participants have meetings that include non-English native speakers. Of those participants, more than half have been using third-party services to translate meetings into other languages, incurring an average cost of $172 per meeting.
Webex, like other video conferencing and cloud collaboration tools, has reported major jumps in usage since the Covid-19 pandemic started, driving remote work. Earlier this month, when it released its second quarter financial results, Cisco reported that Webex saw double-digit revenue growth in the quarter. The platform has nearly 600 million quarterly average users and connects more than 6 billion calls every month globally.
© ZDNet'We are bringing incredible innovation to the collaboration market at an unprecedented pace,' CEO Chuck Robbins during a Q2 earnings conference call.
Back in December, Cisco debuted a revamped Webex experience that combines calling, meetings and messaging into one app via Webex Teams. The revamped platform also added capabilities on the meetings side like automatic noise cancellation, searchable transcriptions and closed captioning. All told, Cisco debuted more than 50 Webex product updates and teased upcoming features like gesture recognition.
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