Voice AI Glossary
Comprehensive glossary of Voice AI, conversational AI, and speech technology terms. Clear definitions and explanations.
Core Technology
ASR — Automatic Speech Recognition
Technology that converts human speech into written text in real time.
LLM — Large Language Model
An AI model trained on vast amounts of text, capable of understanding and generating natural language.
NLP — Natural Language Processing
A field of AI focused on the interaction between computers and human language.
NLU — Natural Language Understanding
Technology that enables computers to understand the meaning and intent behind text or speech.
Speech-to-Speech
Technology that enables an AI agent to understand and respond in speech directly, without intermediate transcription.
TTS — Text-to-Speech
Technology that converts written text into synthetic human speech.
Voice AI Agent
AI-powered software that conducts natural phone conversations with customers, understands their needs, and performs actions on their behalf.
Voice Cloning
Technology that creates a synthetic voice that sounds like a specific person.
AI Concepts
Code-Switching
A Voice AI agent's ability to naturally switch between languages within the same conversation.
Conversational AI
AI technologies that enable machines to conduct natural conversations with humans via text or voice.
Hybrid AI
A model that combines Voice AI agents with human agents for optimal service.
Prompt Engineering
The art and science of writing precise instructions for AI models to achieve optimal results.
RAG — Retrieval-Augmented Generation
A technique that combines information retrieval from a knowledge base with language model response generation.
Sentiment Analysis
Technology that identifies and analyzes emotions and mood from text or speech.
Business Metrics
AHT — Average Handle Time
The average time it takes to handle a customer call from start to finish.
CSAT — Customer Satisfaction Score
A metric measuring customer satisfaction with a specific interaction, on a 1-5 scale.
FCR — First Call Resolution
The percentage of inquiries resolved in the first call without requiring a callback.
NPS — Net Promoter Score
A metric that measures customer loyalty by asking one question: "How likely are you to recommend us?"
ROI — Return on Investment
A financial metric that calculates profit or loss relative to the initial investment.
Platform Features
Concurrent Calls
The number of calls a Voice AI agent can handle simultaneously at any given moment.
Conversational Analytics
Tools that analyze voice conversations and extract business insights from call data.
Function Calling
The ability of an AI agent to trigger external actions like scheduling appointments, updating CRM, or sending SMS during a conversation.
Intelligent Escalation
The ability of an AI agent to recognize when a conversation requires human involvement and transfer it seamlessly.
Knowledge Base
A structured information repository containing all the information a voice agent needs to answer questions.
System Prompt
Text instructions that define a Voice AI agent's personality, behavior, and knowledge.
Telephony
IVR — Interactive Voice Response
An automated phone system that routes calls using voice menus and keypad inputs.
Latency
The time between when a customer finishes speaking and when the agent starts responding.
Outbound Calls
Phone calls that the voice agent initiates and makes to customers, as opposed to incoming calls.
SIP Trunking
Technology that transmits phone calls over the internet instead of physical phone lines.
Webhook
A mechanism that allows one system to automatically send data to another system when a specific event occurs.