Text-to-speech: what it is and how an AI voice agent uses it
Text-to-speech is the technology that turns an AI's written reply into spoken audio. It is the last step of an AI voice agent: it takes the text the model decided on and says it out loud to the caller.
What text-to-speech is
A text-to-speech engine receives the reply text and generates audio with the intonation, pauses and rhythm of a real conversation. The language model decides what to say, and the voice engine decides how it sounds.
How an AI voice agent uses it
1. The language model writes the reply as text based on the conversation.
2. The voice engine turns that text into audio almost instantly.
3. The voice plays on the call while the agent keeps listening.
4. If the caller interrupts, the agent stops speaking and listens again.
InfiVoice agents reply in 30+ languages, so they speak in the language the caller uses.
Text-to-speech vs. a traditional IVR recording
- Traditional IVR recording: plays fixed audio files recorded in advance.
- AI text-to-speech: generates each reply on the spot, based on what the caller said.
To see how it fits into the whole call, read how AI voice agents work and how to write a greeting for an AI voice agent.
How to get started with InfiVoice
Create an agent, load your business information, choose the tone and assign a local number. Plans are at pricing.
Price
The Free plan includes 100 credits. The Pro plan costs $79 per month with 250 credits. One credit equals 60 seconds of call time.
Frequently asked questions
Is text-to-speech the same as an IVR recording?
No. An IVR recording plays fixed audio. Text-to-speech generates each new reply based on the conversation.
Does the voice sound natural?
The agent uses natural synthetic voices with a conversational rhythm. You can listen to how it sounds before going live.
How much does it cost to try?
The Free plan includes 100 credits, which equal 100 minutes of call time.