
Wispr raised $280mn at $2bn to argue the text box is finished
THE SO WHAT
$280mn into a speech-first interface that pipes cleaned-up text into any app is a bet that the cursor — not the app — is the new control point. If you build productivity software, assume voice-native workflows will sit on top of you and compete for user mindshare; optimize for being a great target, not the only interface.
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