Word is getting a predictive text feature next month

[midian182]

Something to look forward to: Are you a Microsoft Word user who isn’t the fastest or most accurate typist? Then you might appreciate a new feature being developed for the software that's set to arrive in March. As the name suggests, 'text predictions' should help users write more efficiently by predicting text quickly and accurately.

The text predictions feature appears in the “in development” section of the Microsoft 365 roadmap—it released to some beta testers in September. Microsoft writes that not only can it reduce spelling and grammar errors, but the tool also learns a user’s writing style over time to offer tailored recommendations.

The feature will be familiar to anyone who uses Google Docs, where a similar version has been available for a while. It's also part of Gmail.

An example of Microsoft's predictive text feature

Microsoft’s text prediction feature simply requires users to start typing in a Word or Outlook document. Any predicted text appears in gray and can be accepted by pressing the tab key or rejected by hitting escape. It can be disabled via the status bar (Word) or in the options section (Outlook) and is currently available to 50 percent of those in the Windows Beta Channel.

News of the text prediction features comes soon after Microsoft announced a perpetually-licensed Office 2021 for Windows and macOS would arrive later this year. Rather than paying the usual $69.99 per year/$6.99 per month, regular users and small businesses can get Office 2021 for a one-off price.

Thanks, TechRadar

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https://www.techspot.com/news/88699-word-getting-predictive-text-feature-next-month.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

No artificial intelligence imaginable could ever predict what I type.

 

[fireworksordie]

No artificial intelligence imaginable could ever predict what I type.

nor could any other kind of intelligence

 

[Uncle Al]

In similar applications I have found that the predictive features actually slows you down as you look at it's suggestion, make a selection, then resume typing and for more technical papers it would require a LOT of training and re-training. Now if it featured alterative curses I would like to send a wider variety!

 

[QuantumPhysics]

In similar applications I have found that the predictive features actually slows you down as you look at it's suggestion, make a selection, then resume typing and for more technical papers it would require a LOT of training and re-training. Now if it featured alterative curses I would like to send a wider variety!

Agreed. All I need is auto-spell checking.

My problem however is typing a name or "meme" and getting auto-checked.

 

[BadThad]

In similar applications I have found that the predictive features actually slows you down as you look at it's suggestion, make a selection, then resume typing and for more technical papers it would require a LOT of training and re-training. Now if it featured alterative curses I would like to send a wider variety!

Indeed, personally, I find it more annoying than useful.

 

[Puiu]

In similar applications I have found that the predictive features actually slows you down as you look at it's suggestion, make a selection, then resume typing and for more technical papers it would require a LOT of training and re-training. Now if it featured alterative curses I would like to send a wider variety!

it does work for the browser search bar although when it shows a wrong answer it does slow me down somewhat.

 

[Aaron Jones]

Microsoft writes that not only can it reduce spelling and grammar errors,

TechSpot could have benefited from this feature, because it would have corrected that to "grammatical errors".

 

[neeyik]

TechSpot could have benefited from this feature, because it would have corrected that to "grammatical errors".

In this context, 'spelling and grammar errors' is perfectly acceptable. Both spelling and grammar are nouns, and the statement is referring to mistakes in both those things. Grammatical is an adjective and modifies the nature of the noun it prefixes, so writing 'spelling and grammatical errors' would infer that the mistakes are only to do with grammar.



Edit: On the matter of this predictive text feature, we've been using it at work (in Outlook Office 360) for a little while now. Can't quite make my mind up as to whether I like it or not.