Truecaller, a globally recognized caller ID service, has announced a significant upgrade to its AI-powered Assistant through a partnership with Microsoft. This collaboration enables the integration of Microsoft’s Personal Voice technology from Azure AI Speech, allowing Truecaller to offer a more personalized calling experience by using synthetic versions of users’ own voices.
The new feature leverages Microsoft’s Personal Voice technology, introduced in November, to allow Truecaller’s Assistant to greet and respond to callers using a digital replica of the user’s voice. This enhancement is aimed at providing a more natural and personal interaction for callers, moving beyond the traditional system-generated voice options previously available.
How It Works
To utilize this feature, Truecaller users who subscribe to the service need to record a brief script in their voice. After giving their consent, this recording is used to create a digital copy of their voice, which the Assistant can then use to answer calls.
This setup not only helps in screening unknown calls and taking messages but also allows users to respond in their absence or even record calls.
How to Set It Up
- Download/Update Truecaller: Ensure you have the latest version of the app.
- Get Truecaller Premium: Make sure you’re subscribed to Truecaller Premium.
- Open Settings: Go to the Assistant settings in the app.
- Set Up Personal Voice: Follow the instructions to record and set up your voice.
And that’s it! Your callers will now hear your voice when the Assistant handles your calls.
Restricted Customization for Privacy and Clarity
Truecaller has implemented a restriction on the customization of the greeting template when using personal voices, unlike the broader customization available with system-generated voices. This measure ensures that callers understand they are interacting with a digital version of the user’s voice. However, users can still personalize follow-up responses according to their preferences.
To further address privacy concerns, Azure AI Speech’s personal voice feature includes watermarks in the speech outputs. These watermarks allow synthetic audio to be identified by a detector tool, ensuring transparency and security in voice interactions.
Global Rollout and Future Plans
The personal voice feature is set to roll out over the next few weeks, initially available to public beta users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, Sweden, and Chile. It will subsequently become available to all users in these markets. Raphael Mimoun, product director and general manager at Truecaller Israel, expressed enthusiasm about the potential of AI-powered voice technologies to transform how users manage calls and interact with the Truecaller Assistant.
Truecaller’s initiative to integrate Microsoft’s Personal Voice technology represents a significant advancement in how caller ID services can leverage AI to enhance user experience. This move not only enhances the functionality of Truecaller’s Assistant but also sets a new standard in the personalization of digital communication tools.