Thanks to the public’s embrace of smart speakers, intelligent car displays and voice-responsive phones – along with the rise of voice intelligence in call centres – marketers say they are on the verge of being able to use AI-assisted vocal analysis technology to achieve unprecedented insights into shoppers’ identities and inclinations, says world authority on media systems and industries, Professor Joseph Turow of the University of Pennsylvania. He sets out the implications of his in-depth research which finds that not only can people be profiled by their speech patterns, but they can also be assessed by the sound of their voices. Alexa, Siri and other voice-activated technologies could be used to spy on you for advertisers and even governments. According to some researchers, your voice is unique and can reveal feelings, personalities and even physical characteristics. He spoke to BizNews, about why we should be worried about the latest advances amid a podcasting revolution – and think twice about joining groups like Clubhouse. – Jackie Cameron