Truecaller is an app that identifies and blocks spam calls that some people prefer over your phone’s default system. Now, the service will allow users to access their AI assistants to record their voices. The company, working with Microsoft’s Azure AI Speech, will learn from recorded clips to produce an AI version of the user’s voice.
Raphael Mimoun, product director and general manager at Truecaller, said in a blog post: “This breakthrough feature not only adds a sense of familiarity and comfort for users, but also demonstrates the power of artificial intelligence in changing the way we interact with digital assistants.”
Truecaller’s AI assistant screens incoming calls and lets users know why they’re calling. Customers can see the reason for the call and can choose how to respond, either by answering the call or having an assistant answer it. The assistant, which is only available in select countries, was first launched in the Truecaller app in 2022.
Users have always been able to choose from a preset number of voices to represent themselves, and the company says letting users record their own voices is a step toward further personalizing the service.
Azure AI Speech, demonstrated at the Build conference, adds personal voice capabilities, allowing people to record and copy sounds. However, Microsoft said in a blog post that the use of personal voice is limited and only suitable for specific use cases such as voice assistants.
Microsoft says it will automatically add a watermark to speech generated by Azure AI Speech’s Personal Voice. It has also issued a code of conduct that requires users to obtain the full consent of those being recorded and prohibits impersonation.
It remains to be seen how well Personal Voice will perform with your own voicemail messages.
