this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2023
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Microsoft's mobile keyboard app SwiftKey gains new AI-powered features | TechCrunch (techcrunch.com)
submitted 1 year ago by stopthatgirl7@kbin.social to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Along with AI advances in Windows 11 and Bing, Microsoft also this week announced it's bringing new AI-powered features to its SwiftKey mobile keyboard

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[–] 1bluepixel@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago (7 children)

I was actually thinking just this morning that if there's ONE area where AI could really make a difference, it's in predictive text on keyboards. How many times do I have to type "Roman Empire," say, before the keyboard suggests "Empire" the next time I type "Roman"? The keyboard doesn't even recommend my own last name when I type my first name.

Except reading the article, this is anything BUT that. It's some AI-generated art stuff so you can create custom stickers or some useless shit like that.

[–] SmashingSquid@notyour.rodeo 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think that’s what Apple did with ios17. they just prefer to use words like machine learning instead of AI. It definitely is improved, I was able to finally switch back after using Gboard for years.

[–] Blastasaurus@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Most of the hype is machine learning by definition, AI is just so much catchier.

[–] GigglyBobble@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

AI is also the broader term. It also covers algorithmic approaches and knowledge representation.

[–] iMike@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I can confirm it’s much better in iOS 17

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It shouldn't take AI to guess that if I redo the word three times then your suggestions are shit.

[–] raptir@lemdro.id 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Doesn't Google Keyboard already do this? It definitely auto-completes common phrases for me. I mean stupid example but I post about Diablo 3 and 4 a decent amount and if I type Diablo it predicts the next word as 3 or 4.

[–] TheGreenGolem@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Yepp, it learns over time from my inputs too. I started to recognize my own phrases/word order in suggestions. It's probably a setting somewhere.

[–] beeb@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Been using SwiftKey for years (since the very beggining, probably 10 yrs at this point) and it always had very good predictive performance (i.e AI in its own right).

[–] RheingoldRiver@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

do you use the swiping function of it? I've found that to be TERRIBLE at "prediction based on context" e.g. understanding if I want "if" or "of" it does the one that doesn't make sense in context. and it doesn't understand that if I type a word, and then delete it and retype it, maybe it should give me something different the 2nd time around (particularly irritating for if/of).

[–] beeb@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I use it occasionally when I have only one hand available. Never had much trouble with it but I noticed you must be quite precise when swiping. As for suggestions, usually one of the three words at the top is the one I need so I rarely need to delete a word unless I really mistyped it badly.

[–] Andy@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Your example was probably not a real case, but I checked with my swiftkey and after "Roman" it suggested "reigns" "catholic" and "Empire"

[–] Denalduh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I believe it's based on your personal keyboard predictions.

[–] x4740N@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Samsung keyboard suggested empire after typing Roman and I don't believe I have ever used "roman empire" in a sentence before excluding this comment

[–] chemicalprophet@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I think it's been ai this entire time and the crowd-sourced iq is so fucking dismal this is what we get. I've had it suggest weird internet slang I've never used...

[–] CookieJarObserver@sh.itjust.works 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can they not?

[–] cmbabul@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

You know they gotta

[–] kubica@kbin.social 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

At this rate I'm seeing Microsoft rebranding itself as mAIcrosoft. Goddammit they are obsessed.

[–] TheMauveAvenger@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're only doing what everyone else is right now. B2B companies in particular are going nuts with it. I know several companies that pivoted their entire near-term strategy to focus on the value AI/ML can bring to their customers.

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 5 points 1 year ago

Gartner Hype Cycle. I think we are getting close to the "peak of inflated expectations" on generative AI for sure. I feel like ML has kind of been around for ages now but maybe companies are just treating everything as an AI/ML nail now. Idk.

[–] doublejay1999@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

You should have seen them when they noticed the internet.

[–] Paradox@lemdro.id 7 points 1 year ago

I miss Swype more and more every passing day

[–] mojo@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Sadly Google Keyboard is the only good keyboard app left. I have internet permission blocked on it so I have actual privacy, and there's not too much bloat. I was excited by a really nice FOSS keyboard app called FlorisBoard, but unfortunately it looks like it was abandoned right before they released the update that fixed auto correct. They even had glide typing working.

[–] tb_@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The one thing that keeps me on Gboard is the swipe-from-backspace. The way you can select multiple words depending on how far you swipe is such a great feature.

Last I checked SwiftKey (finally) got it as well, but it felt far less accurate.
Samsung's keyboard only has the hold-to-delete-quicker which is just awful.

[–] MusketeerX@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Nice, I've been using it for years and didn't even know about this feature!

[–] surfb@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

Just installed SwiftKey, used to have the app when it wasn't from microsoft. The translation function works well, thanks for the tip.