Sanas AI Changes Accents in Real-Time for Call Centers

The Expanding Market for Voice and Speech Recognition

The demand for voice and speech recognition technologies is experiencing substantial growth. Recent market analysis from the firm Markets and Markets projects the sector’s value to exceed $28.1 billion by the year 2027.

Emerging Players in the Voice Tech Landscape

While numerous companies offer voice and speech recognition solutions, several newer businesses are successfully establishing themselves within specific market segments. Sanas represents a notable example of this trend.

Established in 2020, Sanas develops software leveraging AI to modify a speaker’s accent dynamically and in real-time.

Sanas’ Core Philosophy

Sharath Keshava Narayana, Sanas’ co-founder and president, articulated the company’s vision to TechCrunch. He stated, “At Sanas, we believe that technology should enhance human connection, not replace it.”

Narayana emphasized the continuing importance of direct human interaction, particularly as the volume of customer communications continues to increase globally.

The Origins of Sanas

Sanas was initiated by Maxim Serebryakov, Shawn Zhang, and Andrés Soderi during their time as university students. Their inspiration stemmed from a firsthand account of a colleague’s difficulties.

According to Narayana, the impetus for Sanas arose from the experiences of a student named Raul, who faced accent-related discrimination while employed at a call center in Nicaragua.

Raul’s exposure to “accent neutralization training” and its negative impact motivated Serebryakov and Zhang to create a solution aimed at mitigating accent bias.

Growth and Funding

In 2021, Narayana, previously a co-founder of call center startup Observe.ai, joined Sanas. Shortly thereafter, the company secured its initial funding.

How Sanas’ Technology Works

Sanas’ technology functions by analyzing spoken language and converting it to speech that aligns with a designated accent.

The company asserts its ability to maintain the speaker’s original emotional tone and “identity” while simultaneously reducing background noise, reverberation, and echo.

Differentiating Factors

“What distinguishes Sanas is its patented AI technologies,” Narayana explained. “These technologies identify and adjust phonetic patterns instantly, preserving the speaker’s unique characteristics.”

The company’s AI models have been trained using a vast dataset of over 50 million speech samples, sourced from technology partners and in-house voice actors.

Strategic Acquisition

Sanas recently acquired specific technologies from InTone, a competitor. Narayana indicated that this acquisition “strengthens Sanas’ intellectual property portfolio” and expands the startup’s potential customer reach.

Current Market Position

Currently, Sanas serves approximately 50 clients across industries including healthcare, logistics, and hardware manufacturing.

The company’s annual recurring revenue has reached $21 million, representing a $3 million increase over the previous year.

Ethical Considerations

Sanas operates within a potentially contentious area. Some research suggests that exposure to diverse accents can actually help to reduce bias.

As reported by The Guardian in a 2022 profile, concerns exist that Sanas’ solutions could contribute to the homogenization of workers in call center environments.

Addressing Concerns

Narayana countered these concerns, stating, “What makes Sanas special is not just the technology, but its deeply human mission to break barriers, reduce discrimination, and amplify voices across the globe.”

He affirmed the company’s commitment to building a world where communication fosters connection rather than division.

Recent Funding Success

Despite these ethical considerations, Sanas has successfully secured further investment. The company recently announced the completion of a $65 million funding round, resulting in a valuation exceeding $500 million.

Quadrille Capital and Teleperformance spearheaded the round, with participation from Insight Partners, Quiet Capital, Alorica, and DN Capital.

Future Plans

Having raised over $100 million in funding, Sanas intends to develop new “speech-to-speech” algorithms, expand into new geographic regions, and “explore opportunities across industries such as healthcare, retail, and beyond,” according to Narayana.

“With a clear focus on responsible scaling and continuous innovation, Sanas is well-prepared to navigate potential challenges,” he added.

Expansion and Team Growth

Sanas also plans to expand its team, currently numbering around 150 employees, and establish a new office in the Philippines, a major hub for contact centers.

Correction

Updated 3/15 11:26 p.m. Pacific: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Sanas had acquired InTone. Sanas only acquired certain technologies from InTone. We regret the error.