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Rich Merrett

AI Innovation Lead, EchoDad, and Leading Global SSML Expert

Richard Merrett is an AI Innovation Lead at The Citation Group, a position he started in January 2024.1 He is based in London, England, United Kingdom.

Professional Background

Prior to joining The Citation Group, Richard held several notable positions:

  • Creative Strategist at Vixen Labs (February 2022 - January 2024)1
  • Producer at Vixen Labs (July 2021 - February 2022)1
  • Co-Founder & Head of Projects, Voice Design and Voice Strategy at Veni Loqui (August 2017 - February 2022)1

Expertise and Focus Areas

Richard is known for his expertise in:

  • Voice and AI technologies
  • Conversation design
  • Amazon Alexa and Google Home platforms
  • SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language)

He has worked with major clients including TuneIn, Dyson, Guide Dogs, Amazon, McDonald's, Verizon, Hive, and Finish.1

Entrepreneurial Ventures

Richard co-founded Veni Loqui, a company focused on creating bespoke voice experiences for Amazon Alexa and Google Home platforms. The company aims to address issues in the social care sector, particularly loneliness among the elderly.1

Certifications and Skills

Richard holds several certifications, including:

  • Generative AI Fundamentals (Google)
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
  • Prince2 Practitioner and Foundation
  • Qualified Teacher Status1

Recognition

He has been nominated for several awards in the voice and AI field, including:

  • Project Voice Best Amazon Alexa Skill Nominee (2019)
  • Project Voice Voice/AI Commentator of the Year Nominee (2019)
  • Alexa Skills Challenge Best Alexa Game for Echo Show/Spot Finalist (2018)1

Richard Merrett is a respected figure in the AI and voice technology industry, known for his innovative work and contributions to the field.

Highlights

Jan 22 · linkedin

Super happy to announce that today is my first day as AI Innovation Lead at Citation Group. I'm super excited to be starting this position and get stuck into it! #newjob

Dec 6 · linkedin

I had a really interesting conversation with Curt Doty on the ReaLmIQ podcast this week. We covered a broad spectrum of topics from the future of Conversational AI, to how regulation shouldn't impede innovation, how important people with creative skills are in a world where we can all create something, and how comedians are not going to be out of the job just yet as well as a whole host of other topics from ethics to (as you might expect) SSML!

Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e9vC5WHk

Or if you're sick of my face by this point, you can listen to it the old-fashioned way on all of your favourite podcasting platforms.

#conversationalai #voicetechnology #podcast #SSML #generativeai

Related Questions

What are some of the key projects Richard Merrett has led at The Citation Group?
How did Richard Merrett's work at Vixen Labs influence his role at The Citation Group?
What are the main goals of Veni Loqui, the company Richard Merrett co-founded?
What specific voice experiences has Richard Merrett created for Amazon Alexa and Google Home?
How does Richard Merrett's work address loneliness in the elderly?
Rich Merrett
Rich Merrett, photo 1
Rich Merrett, photo 2
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Experience

AI Innovation Lead at The Citation Group (January 2024 - Present)
Creative Strategist at Vixen Labs (February 2022 - January 2024)

Education

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Second Class Honors (Second Division) at University of Hertfordshire (2004 - 2008)

Location

London, England, United Kingdom