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March 2024

29 Mar

Migrate to Azure AI Document Intelligence v3.1 GA version

Target retirement date: August 31, 2026

Azure AI Document Intelligence v2.0 API will be retired on 31 August 2026

  • Retirements

July 2023

26 Jul

Speech-to-text REST API v3.0 will be retired by 31 March 2026.

Target availability: Q1 2026

Speech-to-text REST API v3.0 will be retired by 31 March 2026. Update your code that uses Speech-to-text REST API. We recently updated the Speech-to-text REST API to version 3.1. Version 3.1 builds on the capabilities of the previous version and adds new features including language identification and multi-speaker diarization. With these enhancements, we'll retire version 3.0 of the API on 31 March 2026.

  • Azure AI Speech
  • SDK and Tools

May 2023

12 May

We're retiring Speech-to-text REST preview API v3.1-preview.1 on May 12, 2023

Target retirement date: May 12, 2023

We recently made the Speech-to-text REST API version 3.1 generally available. With this release, we'll retire the preview version v3.1-preview.1 on May 12, 2023.

  • Azure AI services
  • Services
  • Retirements
  • SDK and Tools
  • Features

April 2023

21 Apr

Cognitive Services Custom Commands feature is being retired on April 30, 2026

Target retirement date: April 30, 2026

Custom Commands voice commanding solution will be retired on 30 April 2026.

  • Azure AI Speech
  • Retirements

February 2021

24 Feb

We are retiring the standard version of Custom Voice on 29th February 2024

Target retirement date: February 29, 2024

Upgrade to Custom Neural Voice.

  • Azure AI services
  • Retirements
3 Feb

General Availability: Custom Neural Voice, a Text-to-Speech capability within Speech Service

NOW AVAILABLE

Improve user experiences responsibly with Custom Neural Voice, a limited access capability within Speech Service. Custom Neural voice allows you to build a custom voice font consistent with your brand and use case.

  • Azure AI services
  • Features

September 2020

22 Sep

Azure Cognitive Services general availability updates

NOW AVAILABLE

General availability updates in Azure Cognitive Services Decision, Speech, and containers categories.

  • Azure AI services
  • Services
  • Features

July 2020

8 Jul

Custom Commands is now generally available

NOW AVAILABLE

Streamline the process for creating task-oriented voice applications with Custom Commands (now generally available).

  • Azure AI services
  • Features

December 2019

19 Dec

Azure Cognitive Speech Services meter ID changes

Effective 1st February 2020, the Resource GUIDs (also known as Meter IDs) of Custom Voice endpoint hosting in Speech Services will change. Billing will change from daily to hourly.

  • Azure AI Speech
  • Services

November 2019

4 Nov

Azure Cognitive Services capabilities are now in preview

IN PREVIEW

The following Azure Cognitive Services capabilities are now in preview—Custom Neural Voice capability Custom Speech with Office 365 data Text Analytics; Sentiment Analysis 3.0 Text Analytics; Expanded Entity Type Support in Entities 3.0 endpoint Text Analytics; Personally Identifiable Information support in Entities 3.0 endpoint.

  • Azure AI services
  • Text Analytics
  • Features

July 2019

23 Jul

Cognitive Services Speech US Gov Resource GUID Change

Effective September 2, 2019, the Resource GUIDs (also known as Meter IDs) of Custom Speech endpoint hosting in Speech Services for US Gov region will change.

  • Azure AI services
  • Services

January 2019

18 Jan

Azure Cognitive Services Custom Speech Model Hosting resource GUID change

NOW AVAILABLE

Effective 1st April 2019, the resource GUIDs and the unit of measure for Azure Cognitive Services Custom Speech Model Hosting will change.

  • Azure AI services
  • Services

September 2018

24 Sep

Azure Cognitive Services—Speech Service now generally available

NOW AVAILABLE

Speech service is now generally available, combining the following capabilities in one service: speech-to-text; text-to-speech; custom speech; and speech translation.

  • Azure AI services
  • Azure AI Speech
  • Services

May 2017

2 May

Custom Speech Service

IN PREVIEW

Custom Speech Service (formerly the Custom Recognition Intelligent Service) will let you customise Microsoft's speech-to-text engine.

  • Azure AI services
  • Features

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