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Research · voice AI agents

How AI voice agents answer the phone

An AI receptionist chains speech recognition, a language model and a synthetic voice onto a phone line. Here is how the pieces fit, what to test in a trial, which US rules apply and what recent research says.

How it works

Five steps on every turn of the conversation

Each step adds a little delay, and the whole loop repeats every time the caller speaks. That is why latency and interruptions are the first things callers notice.

  1. Phone line

    Your number forwards to the service, or the service gives you a number.

    Glossary

  2. Speech-to-text

    The caller’s words become text.

    Glossary

  3. Language model

    Decides the reply or action, using your instructions and business information.

    Glossary

  4. Text-to-speech

    The reply is spoken back in a synthetic voice.

    Glossary

  5. Action or handoff

    Books, sends a message, or transfers to a person.

    Glossary

Before you sign

Eight things to test in a free trial

Most AI receptionists offer a trial. Use it on a real phone line with real callers’ questions, not the provider’s demo script.

Pauses

Call it from a mobile phone and time the gap before it answers each question.

Why it matters

Interruptions

Cut it off mid-sentence and change your request.

Why it matters

Names and numbers

Spell a surname and read out a phone number; check what lands in the message.

Why it matters

Off-script questions

Ask something not in your information and listen for a guess.

Why it matters

Handoff

Ask for a person when nobody on your team can answer.

Why it matters

Bookings

Book, move and cancel a test appointment; check your calendar.

Why it matters

Busy hour

Place several calls at once and see what the last caller hears.

Why it matters

Records

Find the recording and transcript, and how long they are kept.

Why it matters

The rules

US rules on AI-generated voices

These rules concern calls made with AI voices, mostly outbound. If a service only answers your inbound calls, ask how it handles reminders, callbacks and recording. This is not legal advice.

  1. Ruling

    FCC makes AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal

    The FCC unanimously adopted a Declaratory Ruling recognizing calls made with AI-generated voices as “artificial” under the TCPA, effective immediately.

    Federal Communications Commission (opens in a new tab) · February 8, 2024

  2. Ruling text

    Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17 (CG Docket 23-362)

    Calls using AI technologies that generate human voices fall under the TCPA and require the called party’s prior express consent, absent an emergency purpose or exemption.

    Federal Communications Commission (opens in a new tab) · February 8, 2024

  3. Proposal

    Implications of AI technologies on protecting consumers from unwanted robocalls (proposed rule)

    The FCC proposed defining AI-generated calls and requiring callers to disclose AI-generated calls to consumers. A proposal alone does not establish a final disclosure requirement.

    Federal Register (opens in a new tab) · September 10, 2024

What the research says

Callers are open to AI, with a way out

Survey sponsors and samples differ, and the case study is one practice’s provider-reported figures. Read each figure with its source.

In the news

Recent coverage

Publication dates come from each page. Newest first. Articles focus on receptionist services, business call answering and booking. Vendor announcements are labelled.

Compare AI and mixed services

8 offerings in our comparison use AI for some or all calls.

See their entry prices