SoundHound AI, Inc. - SOUN STOCK NEWS

SoundHound AI (Nasdaq: SOUN) and Beef 'O' Brady's have partnered to implement an advanced voice AI ordering system for phone orders. The system, initially live in corporate locations and available for franchises, is trained on Beef 'O' Brady's menu and understands natural speech. It answers 100% of calls, even during busy periods, and can handle multiple orders simultaneously.

The AI can also answer menu-related questions, provide information about specials, promotions, and handle inquiries about opening times and allergens. This collaboration aims to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, especially as the 2024 Summer Olympics approach. SoundHound's voice AI solutions are already deployed in over 10,000 restaurant locations, reflecting a growing trend in AI-assisted food ordering.

SoundHound AI has launched its Chat AI voice assistant, integrated with ChatGPT, in Peugeot, Opel, and Vauxhall vehicles across 11 European markets including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. By July's end, this rollout will extend to 17 markets in 12 languages. Initially, in March 2024, Stellantis’ DS Automobiles was the first to adopt this technology. The new inclusion in Peugeot, Opel, and Vauxhall offers drivers hands-free control over navigation, calls, real-time information, and more. SoundHound’s data reveals a significant rise in AI usage, with a sixfold increase and a 50% rise in interaction frequency. This innovation heralds a new era in in-vehicle voice AI technology.

SoundHound AI announced the automatic conversion of all series A preferred stock into class A common stock, a move triggered by strong stock performance surpassing the set conditions. This follows the company's successful voluntary conversion of most preferred shares by investors. The conversion eliminates all preferred stock rights. This step comes after SoundHound AI's recent full repayment of $100 million in debt, marking a significant milestone in the company's financial restructuring. For more details, see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 27, 2024.

SoundHound AI has acquired key assets from Allset, an online ordering platform. This acquisition aims to enhance SoundHound's vision of a voice commerce ecosystem, allowing consumers to order food via voice AI from various devices like cars, phones, and smart devices.

Allset’s team will join SoundHound, contributing their expertise and expanding SoundHound's restaurant partnerships and technological capabilities. Allset's existing restaurant partners and new signups will gain access to SoundHound's voice AI products, aiming to improve operational efficiency and increase sales.

The acquisition includes plans to integrate voice-enabled food and drink ordering across millions of devices. SoundHound already collaborates with over 10,000 restaurant locations and works with major clients in sectors like smart devices, TVs, and automotive. The Allset leadership team, including Co-Founders Stas Matviyenko and Anna Polishchuk, will play a pivotal role in advancing SoundHound's voice monetization platform.

SoundHound AI announced a significant financial milestone by agreeing to prepay its $100 million debt in full, saving over $55 million in interest and fees. This move also releases approximately $14 million of restricted cash. Post-payment, the company retains a cash balance of $180 million and has no outstanding debt, bolstering its liquidity and financial flexibility. CFO Nitesh Sharan highlighted that this debt-free status will enable SoundHound to capitalize on growing customer demand for its voice AI solutions.

SoundHound AI reported a 73% revenue growth to $11.6 million in Q1 2024, closing the quarter with $226 million in cash. The company raised its full-year revenue outlook, emphasizing the demand for subscriptions in voice AI technology across automotive and customer service sectors. The financial highlights include GAAP gross margin of 60%, non-GAAP gross margin of 66%, GAAP EPS loss of ($0.12), non-GAAP EPS loss of ($0.07), GAAP net loss of ($33.0) million, non-GAAP net loss of ($19.9) million, and Adjusted EBITDA of ($15.4) million. Business highlights comprise the acquisition of SYNQ3, partnerships in the automotive industry, and collaborations with large brands in the customer service sector.

SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN) has partnered with Perplexity to enhance the SoundHound Chat AI assistant with online LLM capabilities, allowing for more complex and real-time responses to web-based queries. This collaboration aims to improve the voice assistant's functionality across various devices, including cars and IoT devices, making it the most advanced voice assistant on the market. The integration of Perplexity's search capabilities will provide users with accurate and up-to-date information, expanding the assistant's capabilities to handle a wider range of questions effortlessly.