William Meisel uncovers 27 years of innovation, struggle and the foundations of modern AI in ‘The Lost History of “Talking to Computers”’
New book sheds light on the pioneers of speech recognition and their lessons for today’s artificial intelligence
LOS ANGELES – In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines, a new book offers a timely and eye-opening perspective by shining a light on a largely untold chapter in tech history. “The Lost History of “Talking to Computers” – And What It Teaches Us About AI Exuberance” (published by Archway Publishing) by William Meisel traces the commercial rise — and frequent fall — of speech recognition technology over nearly three decades.
Drawing from his 27-year publication of a no-ads, subscription-only monthly newsletter chronicling the commercial developments in speech technology, Meisel revisits the efforts of hundreds of companies that attempted to make “talking to computers” a reality — long before digital assistants like Siri or Alexa became household names. The book choses a selection of companies from each year, highlighting key trends and innovations that paved the way for the modern era of AI.
What sets this book apart is not just its historical depth, but its scope. The book is backed by a vast online archive — an encyclopedic website roughly equivalent to 35 books in length — providing detailed accounts of all companies active each year. From tech giants like Microsoft to lesser-known trailblazers like Nuance, Vocollect, and Angel.com, Meisel brings both successful and forgotten players into the spotlight. The history provides lessons that apply to today’s excitement over artificial intelligence. The book concludes with an analysis of what those lessons imply about today’s “AI Exuberance.”
“Most technology histories only discuss successful companies,” the author states. “The evolution of “talking to computers” over the years provides a more honest story of how such technologies evolve, including failures.”
“The Lost History of “Talking to Computers” – And What It Teaches Us About AI Exuberance” is a must-read for technologists, entrepreneurs, historians, and anyone seeking to understand the real story behind today’s AI revolution.
“The Lost History of “Talking to Computers” – And What It Teaches Us About AI Exuberance”
By William Meisel
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 352 pages | ISBN 9781665773959
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 352 pages | ISBN 9781665773133
E-Book | 352 pages | ISBN 9781665773140
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
William Meisel’s background is in artificial intelligence, speech recognition in particular. It began with a Ph.D. dissertation on neural networks and a technical book on computer pattern recognition while a professor at USC. It continued with applying those techniques as manager of the computer science division of a defense company. An experienced industry insider, Meisel founded a company developing speech recognition technology and applications that lasted for two decades. He published for 27 years a newsletter on commercial applications of speech recognition that is the basis for this book. He has authored a number of books, including “Evolution Continues: A Human-Computer Partnership.”
Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit www.archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957.
