AI news

New AI voice assistants can take your calls and brief you on your inbox

By L&V Consulting Group · Published 18 October 2026

OpenAI, Google, Amazon and xAI

What’s new

OpenAI made GPT-Live-1 generally available on 10 September. It keeps a voice conversation going while a separate model handles the reasoning and tools in the background. Google released Gemini 3.8 Live on 15 September, with tool calls that run while it is still talking and more precise handling of codes and reference numbers. Amazon’s Nova 2.5 Sonic followed on 5 October, and xAI’s Grok Voice 3.0 on 14 October.

These models are now good enough for structured phone work, but not perfect. On Artificial Analysis’s independent τ-Voice test of multi-step customer-service calls, the best result is 74.5%, from GPT-Live-1. Grok Voice 3.0 scores 71.6%, up from 56.5% for the previous version. That still leaves about one call task in four that needs a person to step in.

For owners and staff, the bigger change is access to work data. Since 23 September, ChatGPT’s Live voice can use the plugins and connected apps on your account, such as email, calendar and shared files. It can brief you and draft replies, but any action that needs approval must be approved on screen: spoken approval isn’t supported.

Who can use it

Voice models for custom phone assistants, in US dollars: GPT-Live-1 is US$0.05 a minute plus the reasoning model, Grok Voice 3.0 is US$0.08 a minute, and Gemini 3.8 Live is about US$0.005 a minute in and US$0.018 a minute out.
ChatGPT Business includes up to 3 hours of voice a day on Standard seats, with extra time charged in credits.
None of the four new models is documented as processing calls in Australia, so call audio is usually processed overseas.
A phone assistant needs an Australian number from a carrier such as Twilio or Telnyx, with identity checks before the number goes live.

How it fits your current systems

A phone assistant can sit behind your existing number: calls forward to it after hours or when lines are busy, and your phone system stays as it is.
ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot voice works with the email, calendar and files you already use, once they are connected and approved by your admin.
L&V would set up the call flow, an opening script that tells callers they’re speaking to AI and that the call is recorded, the hand-over to a named person, and a fallback if the AI is unavailable.

For small businesses

Work it can take off your team’s hands

Property management agencies

Answering after-hours maintenance calls from tenants, turning each one into a clear job record for the property manager, and passing anything urgent straight to a person.

Marketing & web agencies

Account managers speaking their notes after a client call, turned into a draft update and task list to check before anything goes to the client.

Mortgage broking practices

A spoken briefing on new client emails, today’s appointments and outstanding documents, with replies drafted for the broker to check and send.

What would it be worth for your team? Enter your team size and hours for a quick estimate.

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Before you rely on it

Even the best voice model fails about one multi-step task in four in independent testing. Read key details back to callers and keep a person ready to take over.
Tell callers they’re speaking to AI and that the call is recorded. Recording laws differ by state, and some, such as WA and SA, generally require everyone’s consent, so use one script that meets the strictest standard and have it checked by a lawyer.
Don’t let a voice assistant take card details, give financial or technical advice, or decide whether something is an emergency.
Outbound AI calls are covered by Australia’s telemarketing rules, including calling hours, identifying the business and the Do Not Call Register.
Call audio is usually processed overseas. Check where each provider processes and stores it before connecting customer information.

Our view: The new voice models are ready to make sure no call goes unanswered and to turn spoken notes into drafts, but not to run without people. Promise what the assistant does (answer, capture, hand over), measure what it achieves against your own phone records, and keep decisions, advice and payments with your team.

Sources

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