Helsinki-based voice interaction technology startup Speechly has been acquired by the renowned online gaming and communication platform, Roblox. Speechly’s expertise lies in speech recognition and natural language understanding tools, enabling cost-efficient voice moderation to combat toxic behavior in online communities. Meanwhile, Roblox, a global hub for immersive digital experiences created by its community of users, is dedicated to fostering safety and civility. This acquisition signifies a pivotal moment, as Roblox integrates Speechly’s AI capabilities to evolve content moderation methods, introducing voice features like chat for real-time, dynamic interactions, all while ensuring a secure and civil online environment. Together, they are set to redefine the landscape of online communication.
Speechly is a Helsinki-based technology startup founded in 2016, specializing in voice interaction and speech recognition technology. Their mission revolves around enhancing online interactions by providing developers with advanced speech recognition and natural language understanding tools through a flexible API. Speechly offers easy-to-integrate client libraries for various platforms, making it accessible for developers to incorporate voice features into digital experiences, ultimately improving user engagement and retention.
Roblox positions itself as a globally renowned online platform and game creation system that empowers users to design, develop, and engage with an expansive array of user-generated games and experiences within immersive 3D worlds. Roblox is powered by a global community of millions of developers and creators who produce their own immersive multiplayer experiences each month using Roblox Studio, their intuitive desktop design tool.
This strategic acquisition of Speechly by Roblox represents a significant step towards enhancing the safety and interactivity of the Roblox platform, as it seeks to further enrich the user experience by integrating voice-based features and advanced moderation tools. The collaboration between these two innovative companies is poised to shape the future of online communication and content creation.
“Safety and civility are foundational to Roblox. We are excited to be joining a company dedicated to safety and civility and to use our AI expertise to evolve traditional methods of moderation to meet the scale, real-time and dynamic needs of a user generated content (UGC) platform. It’s the same focus we have had at Speechly. We share Roblox’s vision for safe and civil immersive communication and bringing more dynamic and nuanced interactivity to the platform through safe and civil voice features.” says Hannes Heikinheimo.
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