Why Can't We Just Talk to Computers Like We Talk to People?

Computers think in ones and zeros, like a light switch that only turns on or off. But we speak in sentences, which are full of meaning. So to talk to computers, we need something that can turn words into ones and zeros, kind of like a translator.

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Examples

  1. A kid says, 'I want a cookie,' and the computer turns that into a command to open the cookie jar.
  2. Your phone understands you when you say, 'Hey Siri, play my favorite song.'
  3. You tell your smart home, 'Lights on,' and it knows exactly what you mean.

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