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Press Release

Olelo by Sorenson Honored as Gold Stevie Award Winner in 2023 American Business Awards®

SALT LAKE CITY – (May 2, 2023) – Today, American Business Awards® announced Sorenson’s AI-powered phone captioning app, Olelo by Sorenson, has been named the 2023 Gold Stevie® Award winner in this year’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution category.

The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. 

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 13.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for Olelo by Sorenson,” said Rick Kreifeldt, Chief Technology Officer of Sorenson, the leading provider of accessible and inclusive language services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and diverse communities. “Through cutting-edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing, we have the power to revolutionize the lives of those with hearing loss, providing a communication experience that is not only functionally equivalent but also effortless.”

This year, more than 3,700 Stevie Award nominations were submitted for consideration in a wide range of categories. For more than two decades, the Stevies have recognized excellence in business and are widely considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.

“What makes Olelo unique is its use of artificial intelligence (AI) for Automated Speech Recognition (ASR),” one of the anonymous judges commented. “ASR recognizes speech on two fronts: at the acoustic level, where it ‘listens’ to the sound of a spoken word and produces text corresponding to that sound, and through natural language processing models that provide a contextual framework for analyzing the broader meaning of combinations of words.”

Olelo provides real-time captions for phone conversations, making it easier for people with hearing loss and who need captions to use the phone to place and receive calls. By utilizing speech-to-text technology, Olelo transcribes conversations in real-time, allowing users to read along as they listen. The app is designed to work with various phone systems and is available for free on both Apple Store and Google Play. With its simple interface, users can adjust the font size and color of the captions to their preferences and save transcribed conversations for later.

Olelo offers a variety of additional benefits. The app is built with one of the fastest speech-to-text recognition software available, ensuring users see words in real-time as they are spoken. In addition, Olelo stores a history of captioned calls on the user’s device for later review. And Olelo is provided at no cost to users as it is supported through a federally funded government program that provides captioned phone service for people with hearing loss who require captions to use the phone.

Sorenson’s commitment to innovation in communication technology has been a driving force since its inception twenty years ago. Olelo reinforces Sorenson’s position as a leader in the communication industry, providing cutting-edge solutions that enable people with hearing loss to communicate more confidently and effectively connect with others in a meaningful way.

“It is very gratifying for us to be able to recognize the achievements of such a wide variety of organizations, teams, and individuals in the 21st ABAs, and we look forward to bringing them together in New York on June 13 to celebrate with them,” said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards.

Download Olelo by Sorenson here.

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About Sorenson

Sorenson is one of the world’s leading language services providers, combining patented technology with human-centric solutions. We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for underrepresented people through communication solutions for all: call captioning and video relay services, video remote and in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting, translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language services. Our company impact extends beyond the connections we support. Under Sorenson’s Impact and ESG Vision and Action Plan, we’re reviewing our carbon footprint, addressing accessibility and advancement barriers for Deaf employees, and implementing a supplier diversity program. Sorenson is a minority-owned company committed to expanding opportunities for underserved communities and championing a culture of belonging. For more information on how we advance human connection, visit sorenson.com or es.sorenson.com.

Press Contact
Ann Bardsley
Director of Public Relations
Sorenson 801-287-9400
[email protected]