Podcast Narrator

But then there's also voice agents for sales, voice agents for finance, voice agents for training, logistics, research, recruiting, and then also agents that are verticalized by industry rather than function. Home services, restaurants, auto dealers, real estate, and a heck of a lot of healthcare. On the consumer side, there's a ton happening in ed tech.

But then there's also voice agents for sales, voice agents for finance, voice agents for training, logistics, research, recruiting, and then also agents that are verticalized by industry rather than function. Home services, restaurants, auto dealers, real estate, and a heck of a lot of healthcare. On the consumer side, there's a ton happening in ed tech.

But then there's also voice agents for sales, voice agents for finance, voice agents for training, logistics, research, recruiting, and then also agents that are verticalized by industry rather than function. Home services, restaurants, auto dealers, real estate, and a heck of a lot of healthcare. On the consumer side, there's a ton happening in ed tech.

There's some interesting experiments on therapy. Plus, there are the general experiments with companions and assistants. The report points out that since 2020, Y Combinator has seen 90 voice agent companies. And as you might imagine, this has only accelerated over the last year.

There's some interesting experiments on therapy. Plus, there are the general experiments with companions and assistants. The report points out that since 2020, Y Combinator has seen 90 voice agent companies. And as you might imagine, this has only accelerated over the last year.

There's some interesting experiments on therapy. Plus, there are the general experiments with companions and assistants. The report points out that since 2020, Y Combinator has seen 90 voice agent companies. And as you might imagine, this has only accelerated over the last year.

And interestingly, if you look back, 2024 really was the key building year to enable voice agents in so many different ways. OpenAI debuted GPT-4.0 Voice in May of 2024 and began rollout of Advanced Voice Mode in July of 2024. In September, Notebook LM started to go viral with its audio overviews, and then in October, OpenAI launched the real-time API for developers.

And interestingly, if you look back, 2024 really was the key building year to enable voice agents in so many different ways. OpenAI debuted GPT-4.0 Voice in May of 2024 and began rollout of Advanced Voice Mode in July of 2024. In September, Notebook LM started to go viral with its audio overviews, and then in October, OpenAI launched the real-time API for developers.

And interestingly, if you look back, 2024 really was the key building year to enable voice agents in so many different ways. OpenAI debuted GPT-4.0 Voice in May of 2024 and began rollout of Advanced Voice Mode in July of 2024. In September, Notebook LM started to go viral with its audio overviews, and then in October, OpenAI launched the real-time API for developers.

A lot of the early wedges are in doing the same stuff that's available now with humans, just at times or in ways that wouldn't make sense at human prices. So for example, after hours or overflow calls, net new outbound calls and sales, and back office calls that aren't customer facing.

A lot of the early wedges are in doing the same stuff that's available now with humans, just at times or in ways that wouldn't make sense at human prices. So for example, after hours or overflow calls, net new outbound calls and sales, and back office calls that aren't customer facing.

A lot of the early wedges are in doing the same stuff that's available now with humans, just at times or in ways that wouldn't make sense at human prices. So for example, after hours or overflow calls, net new outbound calls and sales, and back office calls that aren't customer facing.

Even as these voice agents roll out right now, you still have the behavior of people desperately trying to get to a human customer service worker instead as soon as they recognize that they're talking to AI. And so the question becomes, does Sesame as an update fundamentally change that?

Even as these voice agents roll out right now, you still have the behavior of people desperately trying to get to a human customer service worker instead as soon as they recognize that they're talking to AI. And so the question becomes, does Sesame as an update fundamentally change that?

Even as these voice agents roll out right now, you still have the behavior of people desperately trying to get to a human customer service worker instead as soon as they recognize that they're talking to AI. And so the question becomes, does Sesame as an update fundamentally change that?

Alex Carlson argues that while this might feel like another incremental improvement, it actually represents what he calls a paradigm shift in how we'll perceive and interact with technology.

Alex Carlson argues that while this might feel like another incremental improvement, it actually represents what he calls a paradigm shift in how we'll perceive and interact with technology.

Alex Carlson argues that while this might feel like another incremental improvement, it actually represents what he calls a paradigm shift in how we'll perceive and interact with technology.

He continues, "...unlike traditional text-to-speech systems that generate audio from pre-written text, Sesame's conversational speech model processes language in prosody, a fancy word for rhythm, allowing for real-time adjustments including natural hesitations, interruptions, and emotional inflections."

He continues, "...unlike traditional text-to-speech systems that generate audio from pre-written text, Sesame's conversational speech model processes language in prosody, a fancy word for rhythm, allowing for real-time adjustments including natural hesitations, interruptions, and emotional inflections."