Create an AI Voice Assistant in 5 minutes - Powered by GPT-4o

Introduction

If you've ever wanted to build an AI-powered voice assistant without delving into complex technical details, you're in luck. This article will guide you through setting up a voice assistant using GPT-4. Whether you need a personal assistant or a service for your company, this process is simple, efficient, and highly customizable.

A Quick Demo

Here's a brief example of what our voice assistant can do. Imagine you're calling a dental office to schedule an appointment:

Caller: Hi, do you guys do dental cleanings? Assistant: Yes, we do teeth cleanings. The price ranges from $ 75 to $ 200. Would you like to book an appointment for that? Caller: No, do you also do root canals? Assistant: Yep, we do root canals too. It costs between $ 300 and $ 1500 for a front tooth and $ 500 to $ 2000 for a molar. Want to book an appointment for that? Caller: Yes, do you have anything for next Wednesday at 10 a.m.? Assistant: Let me take a quick look... Yes, we have an opening on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Can I get your full name and the purpose of your appointment? Caller: My name is SJ. Assistant: Great, you're all set for next Wednesday at 10 a.m. for your root canal.

Setting Up Your Voice Assistant

We'll use a platform called VAPI for this setup. You can also optionally get a phone number from Twilio, although VAPI can also provide one. Twilio may offer more flexibility since the phone number isn't tied strictly to the assistant.

Steps to Create Your Assistant:

1. Create an Account:

   • Visit VAPI and sign up for a free account. Charges are based on usage.

2. Dashboard Navigation:

   • Go to the platform drop-down menu and select the assistant tab to create a new system.

3. Assistant Options:

   • Choose the appointment setter or any other option like customer service or inbound Q&A. Name your chatbot and proceed.

4. Customization:

   • Define the first message your assistant will say.
   • Set up a system prompt: This contains instructions that guide AI responses. For example, include details like address, hours, and pricing.

5. Upload Knowledge Base:

   • Upload necessary documents like service options and pricing information to ensure accurate and factual responses.

6. System Prompt Adjustment:

   • Use specific instructions to refine responses and avoid undesired behaviors (e.g., making jokes). Thorough testing and adjustments are recommended.

Testing Your Assistant

You can converse with your assistant on your computer before linking it to a phone number. This helps refine its responses in a controlled environment.

Reducing Cost and Latency

Minimize costs and latency by configuring multiple aspects:

1. Model Selection:

   • Choose from different models (GPT-4, GPT-3.5, Grock, Llama 3). Each offers varying response quality and speed.

2. Transcription Service:

   • Deepgram efficiently transcribes voice to text.

3. Text to Speech:

   • 11 Labs provides high-quality text-to-voice conversion.

Phone Number Integration

You can acquire a phone number directly from VAPI or use a third-party service like Twilio. To integrate Twilio, you would need to copy the phone number, authorization token, and account SID into VAPI.

Deployment

Finally, link the phone number to your AI assistant so that inbound calls are handled seamlessly. You can also monitor call logs, transcriptions, and performance indicators directly from the VAPI dashboard.

Keywords

Keywords: AI voice assistant, GPT-4, VAPI, Twilio, Deepgram, 11 Labs, system prompt, knowledge base, customization, phone number integration, cost, latency, transcription, text to speech.

FAQs

FAQ:

1. What platform is used to build the AI voice assistant?

   • The platform used is VAPI.

2. Can I get a phone number directly from VAPI?

   • Yes, you can. However, using Twilio offers more flexibility since the number isn't tied strictly to the assistant.

3. What services does the voice assistant support?

   • Services include appointment setting, customer service, and inbound Q&A.

4. What models can be used for the AI assistant?

   • You can choose between GPT-4, GPT-3.5, Grock, Llama 3, and others.

5. How do I input specific knowledge or information for the assistant?

   • This can be done through uploading documents to the knowledge base, ensuring responses are factual.

6. How can I reduce the cost per minute and latency?

   • You can choose models and services that offer lower costs and minimize latency as described in the customization section.