Automatic speech recognition (ASR) is a technology that enables computers to understand and process human speech. It converts spoken language into text by analyzing sound waves and identifying words and phrases. ASR systems are commonly used in applications like virtual assistants, transcription services, and voice-controlled devices. The process involves several steps, including capturing audio, breaking it down into phonemes, and matching these sounds to a database of known words. ASR relies on algorithms and machine learning techniques to improve accuracy over time. Popular examples of ASR include Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.