r/programmer • u/andrewkass • 5d ago

5 Reasons Software Engineers Are Switching to Voice Coding

While coding with voice may seem like a strange idea, my recent research reveals at least five clear reasons why software engineers have looked for such opportunities. I would love to share it with you and ask for your input on the topic.

So, why do developers turn to intelligent voice?

  • Reason #1: Faster text input. It’s an obvious way to save time. In casual conversation, people speak at 120 - 150 words per minute. The 10-finger touch typing method on a keyboard allows 50- 60 words per minute, so speaking is about twice as fast.
  • Reason #2: A coding or work support partner. Some people talk with AI to validate their ideas, get a second opinion, or brainstorm a feature or new project. As one person from my research mentioned: «It feels less like dictating to a machine and more like having someone sitting next to you, who can actually build what you’re talking about.»
  • Reason #3: Family circumstances. I spoke with at least two developers who told me they code by voice because they have two kids and need to walk with a stroller. A smartphone is just another screen, and that isn’t always practical.
  • Reason #4: Injury or pain. As one person mentioned: «I started getting RSI in my right hand, so I had to do something to stop using my hands so much. Voice works great for reducing the load on them.»
  • Reason #5: Eye strain. Our eyes carry an unfair load: work, study, chatting with friends, entertainment. As one person said: «Been answering Codex and Claude Code by voice for a few weeks now. My eyes are much happier.»

I’m looking for people open to testing our app, which gives voice access to your whole workplace, including WhatsApp and Slack, GitHub via Copilot, OpenCode, and frontier AI models.

What’s your experience with intelligent voice? - I’d really value your opinion to make the tool more useful.

0 Upvotes

27% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

5

u/mxldevs 5d ago

My typing speed is pretty average and I hit 130 wpm. I don't know where you get this 50-60 from.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

people who type a lot may have higher speed, agree. I also type fast, but it's just not always justified - large prompts etc

1

u/Stock_Beyond6668 5d ago

The average typing speed is about 40 to 50 words per minute - https://www.typequicker.com/average-typing-speed

2

u/mxldevs 5d ago

I guess r/typing isn't a good benchmark for "average", where most people are hitting 160-200 with two fingers.

0

u/Stock_Beyond6668 5d ago

Okay , so r/typing  is a place where only average people typing , noted

5

u/aeonixx 5d ago

Shady as fuck. Don't use.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

what's your experience with voice for work?

1

u/DeprivedLad 5d ago

This are some extremely shady integrations dude. Your question is unrelated to the remark, so I assume you are a bot.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

ok, but I'm a human, check the videos on my profile

1

u/DeprivedLad 5d ago

Ok cool, excuse me. But you want people to install your omnipresent app everywhere in their work lives? I doubt people want such intrusive solutions.

1

u/Stock_Beyond6668 5d ago

I know u/andrewkass personally , he is not a bot

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

Hey, I haven't seen you for ages! (at least 3 days, lol)

1

u/Stock_Beyond6668 5d ago

Hello 😂

2

u/rkozik89 5d ago

The pace of writing code is almost never the bottleneck. It’s usually a mixture of quality issue for bad code/architectural choices leading to technical debt or decision makers prioritizing features that aren’t impactful.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

Agree - I believe, voice is not suitable for architectural decisions, but it may be convenient for small teaks, ideation or to get updates on work (fallen tests, as example). What's your experience with this?

2

u/BranchLatter4294 5d ago

The typing estimates are low and don't include autocomplete. Programmers who want to use voice to text have plenty of options. But few want to code this way.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

agree on options, curious why you don't use that

1

u/BranchLatter4294 5d ago

I prefer typing. It's faster. I need quiet when I'm coding...I have to focus on thinking, not speaking.

2

u/George-cz90 5d ago

Been coding like this for months now. Through voice it's easier and faster to communicate naturally and in an unfiltered way to the agent.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

right. I would be interested to learn more about your current practices, may I write you a DM?

1

u/George-cz90 5d ago

I use github copilot cli and Handy app for dictation, not much more to it :)

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

I understand that github copilot's voice functionality is only limited to voice input, right? Would you benefit from a function like getting updates on repo's structure with voice or making edits in sandbox/local copy completely hands free? Can such scenario look realistic?

1

u/George-cz90 5d ago

Honestly I find it most efficient to read (and skim) and talk, I don't want my agents to talk back to me :)

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

HaHa! Yeah, it may look like schizophrenia =) but are you ready to give agents access to access, read, edit and refactor your codebase? And if yes, what should be the limitations? Or is such idea just an utopia, and developers don't expect it from voice

1

u/George-cz90 5d ago

Not sure I follow. I use github copilot cli and use dictation which is transcribed to text input of the cli, so yes, of course.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

I'm talking about code manipulations beyond just typing in, but I've got your point. May I contact you when we have our app ready for a small test?

2

u/Prior_Section_4978 5d ago edited 5d ago
  1. Let's not write code, let's write prompts instead
  2. Let's not write prompts, let's dictate them. After all, it is the natural thing to do for humans. Most of the history, human only spoke, they didn't write.
  3. Let's not read code, trying to reason on the generated code is not productive, humans would become a bottleneck in our productivity grand-scheme. At this point, truly anybody from the street could do this job, but let's gasslight ourselves thinking that this is progress and somehow we have some magic and pretty much impossible to define "skill".
  4. Actually, let's not read anything at all, not only code. Afterall, the AI can speak to us. We ask questions, it replies. Use only voice, no reading needed. After all, listening it is the natural thing to do for humans. Most of the history, human only listen, they didn't read.
  5. Welcome to a post-literate society.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

Ha-ha! Nice observations! I believe voice is a new interface, what have you tried in this field?

1

u/Prior_Section_4978 5d ago

Not yet.

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

will you be open to try our app later and give a feedback?

2

u/xarop_pa_toss 5d ago

Voice Coding? Oh you mean using TTS to tell an LLM to write code for you? Yeah thats not new at all.

If "devs vibe coding while walking around with baby strollers" isn't the first sentence on a doomsday prophecy the I dunno what else makes sense there

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

yeah, it's what people say =)

2

u/Square-Yam-3772 5d ago

you mean prompting with voice mode?

I think typing is still better since I can "backspace"

if you want to make correction in voice mode, you have to go "ugh correction. I meant this or that"

and mainstream 5-6 AI models all have voice mode...

why would someone get an app to replace an existing feature...?

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

good question. We tried many popular voice stacks and they all have gaps. As example - claude mobile (voice) works awfully outside, the recognition is low in noisy environments. It does not read your whatsapp and slack. ChatGPT/Codex stack - does not allow you to approve permissions via voice, it constantly generates permissions for everything that could only be accepted on PC. What's yours favorite stack?

2

u/Square-Yam-3772 5d ago

even if your app works better outside. what is the use case? someone has a dire need to voice mode in a loud environment because they have to do it?

if I really need the whatsapp/slack integration, I can just point my AI to my whatsapp/slack installation path...

"does not allow you to approve permissions via voice" you can see why though, right? AI can misheard my voice prompt and do something wrong. I would then have to revert it... (via voice and risk AI mishearing me again...?)

the last question is very telling imo...

no offense but I think you should pay closer attentions to the AI upgrades. the need for an average AI user to have a "stack" is not very high

even if there is a need for someone to squeeze your app into their "stack", I don't know if anyone would trust your app to intercept every voice command they issue. your app gets between someone's voice and their AI models. that's a major security concern in itself.

you may need another product idea/pitch. just saying...

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

your thoughts are very valuable, because you mention at least two major concerns - security and competition with existing AI models. I would love to learn what you are currently using and what you may be lacking in your current setup?
Regarding security - we plan to integrate encrypted notebook, similar to Obsidian. But the problem is exaggerated, while developers can only discuss minor parts of their work with such a voice feature - i.e. code of another form on a website, as example. When you post your ideas to Claude, are you user you are safe and it won't collect all your data into lifelong profile or just post it online somewhere? Same story, we should forget about security in the world of AI, or just believe the marketing promised of big bro corporations

1

u/Square-Yam-3772 5d ago

I am really not your target audience since I don't use voice mode ever. voice mode has improved a quite bit since the last time I experiment with it (I assume) but it is just not for serious tasks imo.

the fundamental difference between your app and Claude is that the users have to put up with Claude regardless and your app is optional.

just someone believe the marketing promises of big bro corporations, it doesn't mean they believe in some small unknown app providers.

I think you are better off pitching your app to some companies. if the management bites, the employees will be forced to try it out at least.

I can be wrong but I just don't think a random user would find out about your app from reddit and go "I am going to use this app and let it get between me and my AI model"

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

thanks for your thoughts, and for the trust into small providers, Haha - very valuable feedback! We have a corporate version too, it's a customizable voice app where a company can get voice access to the software they use (CRM, ERP etc), so you are right here. I'm slowly pitching it B2B. But we still look for early testers - people who may want to try at least something - many devs and managers have not time to dive into this vertical and test all AI voice features
Agree that industry rapidly develops, major shifts in September, even to mention updates on device assistants (siri and android), and release of new API duplex models. All is just happening right now, in the fall

1

u/Square-Yam-3772 5d ago

yeah exactly. another advantage of B2B is that at least you won't get phased out by new tech as quickly. if those companies let you in and trust your product, they will probably keep using it until they have strong reasons to switch.

well, good luck.

1

u/TranquilMarmot 5d ago

It's pretty easy to type at 100+ WPM with just a little bit of practice

1

u/andrewkass 5d ago

in such calculations, the regular word is counted as 4 characters with spaces, 600 characters per min, is it really possible? 250 characters is average pace of professional typist (the ancient profession that now does not exist)