The rise of voice technology

Truecaller is launching a new AI-powered ‘personal voice’ feature that will allow users to create a digital version of their own voice. This voice can be used to greet users and identify the purpose of their call. The new feature, part of Truecaller’s AI assistant, is powered by Microsoft’s Azure AI speech technology.

What does the personal voice feature on Truecaller do?
Truecaller’s AI assistant has been part of the application for some time. It can handle tasks such as answering and screening calls, taking messages, replying on behalf of the user and recording the conversation. However, with the new feature, Truecaller will allow users to have their calls answered in their ‘real’ voice, rather than in a synthetic-sounding voice by a digital assistant.

Truecaller says the new feature will create a more engaging experience for the caller when interacting with the virtual assistant. To use the feature, users must record their voice for a few seconds while the AI assistant is set up.

Users will also be able to change the caller’s greeting template, as long as it’s still clear that the call is being answered by a ‘digital’ version of the user’s voice. Additionally, Microsoft Azure already watermarks the personal voice to prevent potential misuse of the audio.

In a blog post, Raphael Mimoun, product director and general manager of Trucaller Israel, said that the new feature is a significant step “towards delivering a truly personalized and engaging communication experience.”

“The personal voice feature allows our users to use their own voice, enabling the digital assistant to sound like them when handling incoming calls. This groundbreaking capability not only adds a touch of familiarity and comfort for the users but also showcases the power of AI in transforming the way we interact with our digital assistants.” Mimoun added

How do you use the new personal voice feature?
The personal voice feature is part of Truecaller’s Assistant and can be used by navigating to the personal voice option in the settings menu. The feature will only be available to paid users via a public beta that will be rolling out in India, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Chile in the coming weeks. Livemint