Skip to content
English
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

How the AI Voice Agent Works

Learn how Yonder's Voice Agent is built and why our speech-to-speech model delivers faster, more natural conversations.

As AI voice technology evolves, not all voice systems are built the same. This article explains the technology powering Yonder’s Voice Agent, how it's different from traditional voice architectures, and why we chose a speech-to-speech model to create more natural, responsive conversations.

The Short Version

Most AI voice systems follow a three-step process:

  1. Convert speech to text

  2. Generate a text response

  3. Convert that text back into speech

Yonder’s AI Voice Agent works differently. We use leading realtime models that process audio directly and respond in audio — without converting everything into text first.

That difference allows for more natural, expressive, and responsive conversations.

Why Speech-to-Speech Matters

Traditional voice systems use what’s called a:

Speech-to-Text → Language Model → Text-to-Speech pipeline

This works well, but it has limitations:

  • Tone and emotional cues can be lost during transcription

  • Responses may sound flatter or less expressive

  • There can be slight delays between speaking and replying

  • Multilingual speech may sound less native

With speech-to-speech (S2S), the model:

  • Responds directly in audio

  • Preserves tone and vocal nuance

  • Produces faster replies

  • Adjusts tone dynamically based on context

This results in conversations that feel more natural and human.

Why We Built It This Way

Some voice platforms act as wrappers around large language models, layering additional features on top. We chose to build our Voice architecture in-house using Leading Realtime Models so we can:

  • Control performance and reliability

  • Customize behavior for tourism and experience operators

  • Iterate quickly based on customer feedback

  • Avoid reliance on third-party voice platforms

  • Optimize cost efficiency for long-term scalability

This gives us flexibility to continuously improve the product rather than being limited by another platform’s roadmap.

How the Voice Agent Gets Its Information

While the speech-to-speech model powers how the Voice Agent sounds and responds, its intelligence comes from how it connects to your Yonder account.

The AI Voice Agent works similarly to the Chatbot and is connected to:

  • Your Chatbot Content knowledge base for responses and business information

  • Your booking system integration to check real-time availability

  • Your configured Forward to Staff number for live transfers

  • SMS capabilities to send booking links, directions, waivers, and other relevant resources

This means the Voice Agent isn’t just generating responses — it can take action. It can look up product availability, send booking links, escalate complex situations to your team, and follow the rules defined in your configuration.

The speech-to-speech model enables natural conversation, while Yonder’s platform integrations enable meaningful outcomes.

What This Means for You

In practice, this architecture allows the AI Voice Agent to respond more naturally, reduce awkward pauses, and deliver smoother conversations — while still connecting to your knowledge base, booking system, and call routing rules. 

Our goal is not just to create a “voice bot,” but to build a conversational assistant that genuinely enhances the guest experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What model does Yonder use?
Yonder AI Voice is powered by leading realtime speech-to-speech models designed for natural, low-latency conversations.

Is this just ChatGPT with a voice?
No. While language models like OpenAI and Gemini are involved, our Voice Agent uses a speech-to-speech architecture rather than a traditional text-based pipeline.

Have questions? Contact support@yonderhq.com.