Talking to Machines: Why Tech Writers Need to Ditch Keyboard-Only Thinking

We’re stepping into the era where you speak to your computer — here's why you should care

Today, voice input is no longer a party trick—it’s mainstream. Pretending it’s not happening is like polishing up your old dial-up modem and calling it “retro chic.”

It is retro. It’s also absurd. If you’re still keyboard-only in a world of conversational AI, you’re clinging to the past while the rest of us are literally talking our way into the future.

Why Tech Writers Must Learn to Talk to Computers

Speaking to machines isn’t just fun—it’s efficient. Research from Stanford and Baidu showed that speech input on mobile devices is about three times faster than typing.

Not only that, but error rates were lower—about 20% fewer mistakes in English, and over 60% fewer in Mandarin. That means your brain’s first draft can hit the page before your coffee even finishes brewing.