‘I'M THE REAL SIRI!'

MEET THE WOMAN BEHIND AUSTRALIA’S MOST RECOGNISABLE VOICE

Her face may not be familiar, but there’s no doubt every Australian has at least heard Karen Jacobsen.

As well as being the voice behind Apple’s knowledge navigator Siri, Karen’s bubbly tones are used by over one billion GPS devices, smartphones, elevators, cruise ships, and software applications across the world.

The Aussie, who up until recently was based in New York, with her husband, Tom, and son, Hayden, 12, has returned to her home country after the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded last year.

Now, Karen is helping tourists navigate the tropical coast of Queensland as part of the region’s biggest tourism campaign ever – Wonders of the Whitsundays.

“When the pandemic hit I had this overwhelming feeling to come home,” Karen, who grew up in Mackay, Qld, tells New Idea.

“We were originally coming for a month, but we kept extending our time. Now that I’ve seen how hard the tourism industry has been hit here, I’m keen to lend my voice to help reignite the industry.”