ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Voice user interface

A voice user interface (VUI) is a way for people to interact with a computer or smart device using their voice instead of using their hands to type on a keyboard or touch a screen.

Imagine that you are talking to a very smart robot friend. You can ask your robot friend to do things like play your favorite music, call your grandma, or tell you a joke. Your robot friend can answer you and do what you ask by using its voice, just like you are talking to a real person.

A VUI works by listening to what you say, understanding the words you use, and then doing what you asked. The VUI can also ask questions or give you information, just like a real person. It can even understand different languages and accents, so you can talk to it no matter where you come from.

Some examples of VUIs that you might have used before are Siri on an iPhone or Alexa on an Amazon Echo device. Instead of typing or touching your phone or device, you can just say what you want and the VUI will do it for you.

In short, a VUI is like talking to a really smart robot friend who can understand you and do things for you, just by using your voice.