Voice-recognition as a tool has been gaining momentum in recent years, so staking a claim in the AI and speech technology markets makes sense — especially since rivals such as Google, Amazon and Apple have in many ways overshadowed Microsoft’s efforts. (Nuance’s software formed the basis for Apple’s Siri voice assistant, before Apple switched to an in-house version.) Microsoft, in a statement touting the deal on Monday, pointed to Nuance’s use of “cloud-based ambient clinical intelligence” in the healthcare industry. And Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stressed that point in a later webcast to talk about the purchase.