Mon. Dec 23rd, 2024
This Is Probably The Best Ai Technology You're Not Using

This article is a preview of The Tech Friend newsletter. Please register here Delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.

I wrote the introduction to this newsletter on my cell phone, without fumbling with my fingers.

I used an artificial intelligence feature on my phone’s keyboard called Glide Typing or Swipe to Type.

Without lifting your finger from the keyboard, slide your finger towards each letter of the word. The AI ​​calculates the likelihood of the word you are about to type and inserts it into your text.

It’s not perfect, so this input method takes practice. However, glide typing is faster and less likely to make typos than tapping on a glass screen.

Glide typing is a standard keyboard option. iPhone, samsung galaxy mobile phone and other android mobile phone. We’ll explain how it works and why Glide Typing is probably the best AI technology you’re not using yet.

Even if glide typing isn’t for you, this shows that AI doesn’t have to invent words out of thin air or drive cars.

Unlike many AI chatbots, mundane AI features like autocorrect, Netflix recommendations, and web search have proven their worth.

By this point, my glide typing had failed twice. AI confused “it” and “it” (Humans also get this wrong). And “glucose” was inserted once when I tried to type “glide”.

I’m eyeing Google’s Gboard keyboard. That’s because you’re using it on your Pixel phone. Glide Typing works essentially the same way on iPhones, Galaxy phones, and other keyboards you can download.

Smartphones are equipped with AI systems that “learn” to recognize patterns and predict outcomes. Akshay Kanan, his manager of group products for Gboard for Android, says he has three clues to help users guess what Glide is typing.

spatial coordinates: AI examines how close your finger is to the text as you swipe across the screen. AI ranks the likelihood of the selected words.

When you lift your finger from the screen, the keyboard inserts suggested words. Similar to autocorrect suggestions, you may also see other alternative words to choose from.

Glossary of artificial intelligence terms you need to know

language: Similar to autocorrect on your phone, the AI ​​determines that you’re likely to repeat words you previously typed.

If you type “how are you,” the software predicts that the next word will likely be “you,” Kannan says.

If your word choice is fairly predictable, the AI ​​will recognize it even if you swipe your finger sloppily.

Personalization: If there’s a particular word you type often, the AI ​​should start suggesting it, even if it’s not in the dictionary.

The name is an example. Gboard gets my name almost exactly as I type Glide. (Strangely enough, my first name is often not capitalized, but my last name is.) I tried glide-typing Akshay Kannan and it came up with “Amanda’s Kansas.”

Language and personalization cues are also used in autocorrect. Calculating finger coordinates is unique to glide typing, Kannan says.

Unlike some autocorrect software, Glide Typing recognizes that I’m trying to type a dirty word instead of “duck.”

When and how to use Glide Typing

Glide typing functionality can be used anywhere you enter text.

I use Glide Typing for text messages, emails, and sometimes newsletter drafts. (I’m much better at a computer keyboard.)

I found that Glide Typing didn’t work well when I entered keywords rather than full text in a web search.

I now naturally swipe and type, but some people don’t like it.

Kannan wouldn’t talk about how popular glide typing is on Gboard. He said this is more popular in countries that use Latin scripts, such as English and Spanish, and is especially useful for one-handed typing.

(The “One Tiny Win” section below has more information on getting started with Glide Typing.)

The keyboard is an amazing piece of technology

For decades, engineers have been making phone keyboards. Easier to use for people with disabilities And everyone else too.

In the 1990s, flip phones T9 technology When people tapped on the numeric keypad, words were predicted. There are new technologies for typing character-based languages ​​such as Chinese with mobile keyboards.

Then, in the 2000s, a startup called Swype was born. Pioneering AI-powered Glide Typing.

“I’m proud that we started a technology that has been adopted globally,” said Mike McSherry, former CEO of Swype and current head of digital healthcare company Xealth.

McSherry recalled the “magical” feeling people felt the first time they tried to swipe to type. He loves to glide his typing on his phone now. “I’m a one-thumb swiper,” McSherry said.

Be mindful of keyboard privacy and security

Kannan said that what you glide type on Gboard only remains on your phone. Information from the keyboard is never sent to his Google computer via the Internet.

He said Google is taking a privacy-conscious approach called federated. We’re learning how to collect batch information from Gboard users to improve our Glide Typing AI.

Your words are an artificial intelligence training factory

Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research institute, previously At least one Chinese keyboard app is flawed What people type can be leaked while the information travels on the internet. (Again, Google says Glidetyping information doesn’t make it onto the internet.)

Basic advice: before use Any Make sure you can trust the company when it comes to apps, especially keyboards that may collect everything you type. I trust keyboards from Google, Samsung, and Apple. You’re probably already using one of them.

If you’re comfortable learning new input methods, we get it. I still have flashbacks, Mavis Beacon typing test On my family’s computer.

However, try glide typing. I love it, and you probably will too.

Glide typing is Built-in keyboard for iPhone Even Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

It should be possible Glide type now on your iPhone. If it doesn’t work, go to Settings app → General → Keyboard and turn on the “Slide to Type” button. (If the button is on, it will appear green.)

may be necessary Fiddle with your Galaxy phone’s settings To get started with Glide Typing,

Google’s Gboard with Glide Typing is the standard keyboard on some Android smartphones, but can also be downloaded separately. For iPhone and android mobile phone. (Kannan said the iPhone version has slightly less accurate Glide typing.)

Glide typing is also a feature of other keyboard apps, such as Microsoft’s SwiftKey app. android mobile phone and iPhone.

Glide typing may not be available in all languages.

Some actions, such as punctuation marks, numbers, and single-letter words like “I,” still require tapping individual virtual keys. As a shortcut, you usually press the space bar twice and the keyboard will insert a period at the end of the sentence.

If the Glide Typing AI doesn’t recognize the word you’re typing, your best bet is to type the individual letters in the word or name several times until the AI ​​”learns” it.

I tried it with my first name, which normally doesn’t capitalize when I glide type. I deleted the lowercase “shira” once or twice and manually tapped the letters “Shira” to remove them. I think it’s working now.