According to the study Beyond the keyboard: How voice AI will redefine work from 2025, carried out by Jabra and the London School of Economics (LSE), which explores the role of voice in interaction with AIits use will significantly change how AI is used at work.
The study examined how different knowledge professionals carry out their daily tasks through generative AI using voice and text, and the results were analyzed in terms of performance, cognitive load, level of confidence and preference for use.
One of its results indicates that the use of voice in interaction with AI in the workplace is gaining ground significantly. 14% of employees prefer to speak rather than write when working with generative AI, and experts predict that the use of voice-activated AI will be widespread by 2028. This will be due to the benefits that companies already experience derived from its use, its progressive integration into workflows and the growing visibility of success stories in the company.
33% of professionals trust the use of AI more when they interact with it by voice. Additionally, many reported feeling more connected. In terms of functions, its potential stands out for tasks where speed is needed, such as resolving quick queries. Also for those who need creativity or more cognitive fluency, such as language practice.
But in tasks that require more analysis, text is still the channel that offers the best performance, since the effectiveness of the AI drops 20% when used at the same time. This is mostly due to lapses in accuracy and the challenges of making thoughts out loud.
Regarding technology adoption, the study reveals that it does not depend on age, but on the context. Older professionals are more open to using their voice at work once they have experienced using it. But Generation Z, despite being familiar with voice assistants, is reluctant to apply it at work. In a work environment with an increasingly digital load, the voice is presented as a resource to reduce friction, encourage collaboration and recover productive time.
According to another Jabra report, generative AI is already part of various work processes. The most common tasks in which it is applied are writing, revising or improving texts (34%); taking notes or summarizing conversations (34%); the synthesis of information (33%); and decision making (29%). Also to simplify complex information (28%) and manage calendars, plan events or coordinate logistics (28%).
In Spain, 62% of workers believe that AI could help them save time and improve both in the work and personal fields. Thus, 35.5% affirm that they would dedicate more time to their family and friends, 30.1% would choose to reduce the working day to four days, and 36% would direct the time gained to working at more flexible schedules. As for more specific activities, 23% would be dedicated to creative projects, 31% to acquiring new skills, and 20% to taking on more strategic and impactful tasks.
But the adoption of AI through voice at work poses challenges for employees and organizations. On the one hand, professionals must have the predisposition and the necessary tools to be able to experiment with the voice channel. On the other hand, companies must prepare their teams and spaces for this transformation.
Michael Muthukrishna, professor at LSEhas explained that “The data confirms what many technology experts already predicted: we are entering an era of conversational computing, where speaking and listening will begin to replace writing and reading. The future will not be defined by a super AI that is valid for everything, but by a set of specialized systems, all coordinated by a single interface: voice.”
Paul Sephton, Global Head of Brand Communications en Jabrahas indicated for his part that “The true potential of GenAI will be reached to the extent that professionals can interact with it in a natural and effective way; qualities that the voice channel presents. That is why, at Jabra, we work to create solutions that guarantee the clarity and precision we need to communicate with AI.”
