How to create Azure Speech AI Service with Terraform

Are you looking to use the power of Azure Speech Services in your applications but want a faster, more automated way to get it set up? Enter Terraform—a powerful tool for Infrastructure as Code (IaC). By automating the deployment of Azure Speech Services, you can reduce manual errors, increase consistency, and easily manage changes in your infrastructure.

Azure Speech Services provide advanced features like Speech-to-Text, Text-to-Speech, and even speech translation, making it essential for AI-driven applications. Terraform helps you automate the deployment of these services, ensuring smooth and rapid setup.

In this blog, we will cover:

• Prerequisites
• Setting Up Terraform for Azure
• What is Azure Speech Service?
• Use Cases for Azure Speech Services
• Terraform Basics for Azure Speech Service Deployment
• Implement the Terraform code
• Deploying Azure Speech Service with Terraform
• Testing the Azure Speech Service Deployment
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Prerequisites

Before diving into the deployment, there are some prerequisites you need to set up:

Required Tools and Platforms

• Azure Subscription: Ensure you have an active subscription to access Azure resources.
• Terraform Installed: Terraform should be installed on your local machine.
• Azure CLI Installed: The Azure CLI is necessary for authenticating and managing Azure services from the command line.

Setting Up Terraform for Azure

Installing Terraform

To begin, ensure Terraform is installed. You can follow this blog to install Terraform.

To know more: Terraform Installation

Authenticating Terraform with Azure

Next, authenticate Terraform to communicate with Azure. Use the Azure CLI to log in by running the following command:

az login

Once logged in, Terraform can authenticate with Azure and start creating resources.

To Know More: Azure CLI

What is Azure Speech Service?

Azure Speech Service is a cloud-based service that provides speech recognition, speech synthesis, and custom speech model capabilities. It allows developers to add speech-enabled features to their applications, such as:

• Speech-to-Text: Converting spoken language into text.
• Text-to-Speech: Synthesizing text into natural-sounding speech.
• Custom Speech Models: Creating custom models for specific domains or accents.

Azure Speech Service offers a variety of features, including:

• Multiple languages and dialects: Support for a wide range of languages and dialects.
• Real-time transcription: Transcribing speech in real-time.
• Customizable voices: Selecting from a variety of customizable voices. 
• Integration with other Azure services: Seamless integration with other Azure services, such as Cognitive Services and Bot Service.
• Scalability: Ability to handle large volumes of speech data.

Overall, Azure Speech Service is a powerful and versatile tool for developers who want to add speech-enabled features to their applications.

Use Cases for Azure Speech Services

Azure Speech AI Services offer various use cases, from customer service and accessibility to education and entertainment.

Here are some of the most common applications:

provider "azurerm" {
  features = {}
}

resource "azurerm_resource_group" "example" {
  name     = "speech-service-rg"
  location = "East US"
}

resource "azurerm_cognitive_account" "example" {
  name                = "speechservice"
  location            = azurerm_resource_group.example.location
  resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.example.name
  kind                = "SpeechServices"
  sku_name            = "S0"
}

terraform init

terraform plan -out main.tfplan

terraform apply main.tfplan