Abstract

Audio latency in Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems poses significant challenges, especially in applications requiring real-time processing and interaction, such as the use of AI in call centers, translation, and live audio processing. This paper explores the technical complexities and mathematical frameworks underlying audio latency, including a brief analysis of its causes, impacts, and potential mitigation strategies. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by AI systems in managing audio latency by looking at signal processing, neural network inference, and hardware-software co-design.

1 Introduction

For purposes of this paper, we define audio latency as the delay between input audio signal and the corresponding output. Audio latency is a critical factor in the performance of nearly any audio-based AI system, particularly in speech recognition, real-time audio synthesis, and interactive voice response systems.

The increasing integration of AI in these domains necessitates a deeper understanding of the sources and implications of latency. This paper aims to analyze the challenge of audio latency, analyze its effects on system performance, and explore advanced strategies to minimize it.