# Telnyx Advanced Features

This document outlines the anticipated advanced features of Telnyx AI Assistants as of February 2026, presented as a comprehensive technical reference. This projection is based on current industry trends in conversational AI, Telnyx's existing CPaaS capabilities, and expected technological advancements.

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## Telnyx AI Assistants: Advanced Features Technical Reference (February 2026)

### 1. Voice Configuration Options

Telnyx AI Assistants will offer unparalleled flexibility and quality in voice interaction, leveraging state-of-the-art AI models.

*   **1.1. Speech-to-Text (ASR) Models:**
    *   **Core Models:** Multiple high-accuracy, low-latency ASR models optimized for various use cases (e.g., general conversation, domain-specific terminology, noisy environments).
    *   **Language & Dialect Specific:** Enhanced support for over 100 languages and regional dialects, including specific models for Australian English, UK English, US English, and common Australian immigrant languages (Mandarin, Vietnamese, Punjabi, etc.).
    *   **Custom Acoustic Models:** Ability for enterprise customers to upload and train custom acoustic models to improve accuracy for specific accents, product names, or jargon.
    *   **Real-time Transcription:** Sub-100ms latency for real-time transcription, crucial for natural conversation flow.
    *   **Punctuation & Capitalization:** Automatic, intelligent punctuation and capitalization.
    *   **Speaker Diarization:** Identification of distinct speakers in a multi-party conversation.
    *   **Barge-in Detection:** Highly configurable sensitivity for detecting human interruption during assistant speech.

*   **1.2. Text-to-Speech (TTS) Models & Voices:**
    *   **Neural TTS Engines:** Powered by advanced neural TTS engines for human-like, natural-sounding speech.
    *   **Extensive Voice Library:** A vast catalog of pre-trained voices across genders, ages, and accents (including diverse Australian accents).
    *   **Expressive Voices:** Voices capable of conveying a range of emotions (happy, sad, excited, empathetic) and speaking styles (conversational, newscaster, formal).
    *   **Custom Voice Cloning/Branding:** Enterprise feature allowing customers to clone an existing human voice (e.g., a brand ambassador) to create a unique, branded AI assistant voice with minimal audio samples.
    *   **SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) Support:** Full support for SSML tags to control pitch, rate, volume, pauses, emphasis, phonemes, and prosody for fine-grained speech customization.
    *   **Multi-language & Polyglot Voices:** Voices capable of seamlessly switching between multiple languages within a single utterance.
    *   **Whisper Mode:** Ability for the assistant to lower its voice volume for sensitive information or private conversations.

*   **1.3. Language Support:**
    *   **Global Coverage:** Comprehensive support for over 100 languages and 200+ dialects for both ASR and TTS.
    *   **Regional Specificity:** Deep localization for key markets, including:
        *   **Australian English:** Distinct accent, vocabulary, and cultural nuances.
        *   **Common Australian Languages:** Enhanced support for Mandarin (Simplified/Traditional), Cantonese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Punjabi, Hindi, and Tagalog, reflecting Australia's multicultural demographics.
    *   **Automatic Language Detection:** Ability to automatically detect the spoken language and switch ASR/TTS models dynamically.

### 2. WebRTC Widget Capabilities

Telnyx AI Assistants will provide a highly customizable and robust WebRTC widget for seamless browser-based interactions.

*   **2.1. Embeddability & Customization:**
    *   **JavaScript SDK:** A comprehensive SDK for embedding and controlling the widget within any web application.
    *   **Full UI/UX Customization:** Extensive CSS and JavaScript hooks to fully brand and customize the widget's appearance and behavior (colors, fonts, layout, animations).
    *   **Pre-built Themes:** A library of customizable themes for rapid deployment.
    *   **Responsive Design:** Optimized for desktop and mobile browsers.

*   **2.2. Real-time Interaction Features:**
    *   **Live Transcript Display:** Real-time display of the conversation transcript for both user and assistant.
    *   **Sentiment Visualization:** Real-time sentiment analysis of the user's speech, visually represented within the widget.
    *   **Assistant State Indicators:** Visual cues for assistant listening, thinking, speaking, and transferring.
    *   **User Controls:** Mute, hold, end call, volume control, and microphone selection.
    *   **Typing Indicator:** Optional "assistant is typing" indicator for text-based interactions.
    *   **Rich Media Support:** Ability for the assistant to display images, links, and simple formatted text directly within the widget.
    *   **File Upload/Download:** Secure options for users to upload files to the assistant or download documents provided by the assistant.

*   **2.3. Agent Handoff & Hybrid Workflows:**
    *   **Seamless Transfer:** One-click transfer to a live human agent with context passing.
    *   **Agent Assist Display:** During a human transfer, the widget can display relevant customer information, conversation history, and AI-generated agent assist suggestions.
    *   **Co-browsing (Optional Add-on):** Secure co-browsing capabilities to guide users through web applications.

*   **2.4. Security & Performance:**
    *   **End-to-End Encryption:** SRTP and DTLS for secure voice communication.
    *   **Adaptive Bitrate:** Dynamic adjustment of audio quality based on network conditions.
    *   **Browser Compatibility:** Wide support across modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).

### 3. Function Calling / Tool Use

Telnyx AI Assistants will excel at integrating external systems and performing actions, driven by advanced function calling capabilities.

*   **3.1. Declarative Tool Definition:**
    *   **OpenAPI/Swagger Integration:** Define tools using standard OpenAPI specifications for RESTful APIs.
    *   **Custom Schema Definition:** Ability to define custom JSON schemas for non-RESTful or internal functions.
    *   **Version Control:** Tool definitions can be versioned and rolled back.

*   **3.2. Advanced Function Calling Logic:**
    *   **Multi-step Tool Chaining:** Assistants can execute a series of interdependent tool calls to fulfill complex requests.
    *   **Conditional Logic & Fallbacks:** Define conditional execution paths and fallback mechanisms (e.g., if an API call fails, try an alternative or inform the user).
    *   **Human-in-the-Loop Approval:** For sensitive actions (e.g., making a purchase, modifying an account), the assistant can prompt for user confirmation before executing the tool.
    *   **Dynamic Tool Selection:** The AI Assistant intelligently selects the most appropriate tool(s) based on the user's intent and context.
    *   **Error Handling & Retries:** Automatic retries for transient tool errors with configurable backoff strategies.
    *   **Asynchronous Tool Execution:** Support for tools that return results asynchronously, allowing the assistant to continue the conversation while waiting.

*   **3.3. Tool Management & Monitoring:**
    *   **Centralized Tool Registry:** A UI/API for managing, deploying, and monitoring all defined tools.
    *   **Usage Analytics:** Track tool call frequency, success rates, and latency.
    *   **Security & Permissions:** Granular access control for which assistants can use which tools, with API key management.

### 4. Knowledge Base Integration

Robust knowledge retrieval will power intelligent and accurate responses, reducing hallucinations.

*   **4.1. Diverse Data Source Connectors:**
    *   **Document Repositories:** Connectors for SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, Confluence, internal file servers (SFTP).
    *   **Web Content:** Automated web crawlers to index public websites, FAQs, and support portals.
    *   **Databases:** Direct connections to SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server) and NoSQL (MongoDB, DynamoDB) databases.
    *   **CRM/Helpdesk Systems:** Direct integration with Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot for customer-specific information.
    *   **APIs:** Generic API connector for retrieving information from any custom system.
    *   **Structured Data:** Support for CSV, JSON, XML files.

*   **4.2. Advanced Indexing & Retrieval:**
    *   **Vector Database (RAG):** Utilizes a sophisticated vector database for semantic search and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG).
    *   **Hybrid Search:** Combines keyword search with semantic search for optimal retrieval accuracy.
    *   **Automated Data Ingestion:** Scheduled and real-time data ingestion pipelines for keeping knowledge bases up-to-date.
    *   **Content Chunking & Embedding:** Intelligent chunking strategies and state-of-the-art embedding models for efficient retrieval.
    *   **Metadata Tagging:** Support for custom metadata to filter and prioritize knowledge sources.

*   **4.3. Knowledge Management & Governance:**
    *   **UI for Knowledge Base Management:** A user-friendly interface for adding, editing, and managing knowledge sources.
    *   **Source Attribution:** The AI assistant can cite the source of information provided (e.g., "According to our FAQ...").
    *   **Confidence Scoring:** Each retrieved knowledge chunk is assigned a confidence score, allowing the assistant to escalate or seek clarification if confidence is low.
    *   **"I Don't Know" Handling:** Configurable strategies for when the assistant cannot find relevant information (e.g., escalate to agent, provide generic response, ask clarifying questions).
    *   **Version Control:** Track changes to knowledge base content.
    *   **Feedback Loop:** Mechanisms for users or agents to flag incorrect or outdated information, triggering review workflows.

### 5. Call Transfer and IVR

Seamless integration with Telnyx's robust call routing and IVR infrastructure.

*   **5.1. Intelligent Call Transfer:**
    *   **Contextual Handoff:** When transferring to a human agent, the full conversation transcript, customer details, and AI-generated summary are automatically passed to the agent's screen or CRM.
    *   **Skill-Based Routing:** Transfer calls to the most appropriate human agent or department based on the detected intent, customer history, or required skills.
    *   **Warm, Cold, and Conference Transfers:** Support for various transfer types.
    *   **External Transfers:** Ability to transfer calls to any external phone number.
    *   **Queue Management:** Integration with Telnyx's advanced call queuing, hold music, and estimated wait times.
    *   **Voicemail Integration:** Option to transfer to a voicemail system if agents are unavailable.

*   **5.2. Dynamic IVR & Hybrid Flows:**
    *   **AI-driven Menu Generation:** The AI assistant can dynamically generate IVR menu options based on the conversation context, user history, and detected intent, moving beyond rigid, pre-defined menus.
    *   **Hybrid IVR:** Seamless blend of traditional, pre-configured IVR flows with generative AI interactions. Users can always "break out" of an IVR flow to speak naturally with the AI assistant.
    *   **Natural Language IVR:** Users can speak their intent directly rather than pressing numbers, with the AI parsing and routing accordingly.
    *   **Pre-call Automation:** Use the AI assistant to collect information and qualify calls before connecting to an agent, reducing agent handling time.

*   **5.3. Post-Transfer Actions:**
    *   **Call Recording & Transcription:** Full recording and transcription of the entire call (AI and human segments).
    *   **Automated Follow-ups:** Trigger post-call surveys or automated email/SMS follow-ups based on the call outcome.

### 6. Analytics and Reporting

Comprehensive insights into AI assistant performance, user interactions, and operational efficiency.

*   **6.1. Core Performance Metrics:**
    *   **Call Volume & Duration:** Total calls, average call duration, peak call times.
    *   **Resolution Rate:** Percentage of calls resolved by the AI assistant without human intervention.
    *   **Transfer Rate:** Percentage of calls escalated to human agents.
    *   **Customer Satisfaction (CSAT/NPS):** Integration with post-call surveys to measure user satisfaction.
    *   **First Contact Resolution (FCR):** Track how often issues are resolved on the initial interaction.

*   **6.2. AI-Specific Metrics:**
    *   **Intent Recognition Accuracy:** How accurately the AI identifies user intents.
    *   **Entity Extraction Accuracy:** Precision of extracting key information (entities) from user utterances.
    *   **Tool Usage & Success Rates:** Frequency of function calls and their success/failure rates.
    *   **Knowledge Base Hit Rate:** How often the AI successfully retrieves information from the knowledge base.
    *   **"I Don't Know" Rate:** Frequency of instances where the AI cannot provide an answer.
    *   **Hallucination Detection:** Metrics and alerts for instances where the AI generates factually incorrect or unsupported information.
    *   **Conversation Flow Analysis:** Visualizations of common conversation paths, drop-off points, and areas for improvement.
    *   **Sentiment Trends:** Aggregate and per-call sentiment analysis to identify emotional patterns.

*   **6.3. Customizable Dashboards & Reporting:**
    *   **Real-time Dashboards:** Live monitoring of key performance indicators.
    *   **Historical Reporting:** Customizable reports with filtering by date, assistant, intent, and customer segment.
    *   **Drill-down Capabilities:** Ability to click into specific metrics to view underlying call logs, transcripts, and interaction details.
    *   **Anomaly Detection:** Automated alerts for unusual spikes or drops in performance metrics.
    *   **Export Options:** Export data to CSV, JSON, or integrate with external BI tools (Tableau, Power BI).

*   **6.4. Compliance & Audit Trails:**
    *   **Full Call Logs & Transcripts:** Detailed records of all interactions, including ASR output, TTS input, and AI responses.
    *   **PII Redaction:** Automated redaction of personally identifiable information (PII) from transcripts and logs for compliance.
    *   **Audit Trails:** Logs of all configuration changes and administrative actions.

### 7. Webhook Event Types

A comprehensive set of webhook events for real-time integration and custom workflow orchestration.

*   **7.1. Call Lifecycle Events:**
    *   `telnyx.call.initiated`: A new inbound or outbound call is starting.
    *   `telnyx.call.answered`: The call has been answered.
    *   `telnyx.call.disconnected`: The call has ended.
    *   `telnyx.call.ringing`: The outbound call is ringing.
    *   `telnyx.call.failed`: The call failed to connect.

*   **7.2. AI Assistant Lifecycle Events:**
    *   `assistant.started`: The AI assistant has begun interacting with the user.
    *   `assistant.ended`: The AI assistant has finished its interaction (e.g., call ended, transferred).
    *   `assistant.error`: An error occurred within the AI assistant logic.

*   **7.3. Speech & Transcription Events:**
    *   `assistant.user_utterance.started`: User has started speaking.
    *   `assistant.user_utterance.ended`: User has finished speaking.
    *   `assistant.user_transcript.partial`: A partial transcription of user's speech is available.
    *   `assistant.user_transcript.final`: The final transcription of user's speech is available.
    *   `assistant.assistant_speech.started`: The AI assistant has started speaking.
    *   `assistant.assistant_speech.ended`: The AI assistant has finished speaking.

*   **7.4. Conversational AI Events:**
    *   `assistant.intent.detected`: A specific intent has been recognized.
    *   `assistant.intent.failed`: No clear intent could be detected.
    *   `assistant.entity.extracted`: Key entities have been extracted from the user's input.
    *   `assistant.sentiment.detected`: User sentiment (e.g., positive, neutral, negative) has been analyzed.
    *   `assistant.response.generated`: The AI assistant has generated a textual response.
    *   `assistant.clarification.requested`: The AI assistant is asking for more information.

*   **7.5. Function Calling Events:**
    *   `assistant.tool.call_initiated`: The AI assistant is about to invoke a tool/function.
    *   `assistant.tool.call_succeeded`: A tool/function call completed successfully.
    *   `assistant.tool.call_failed`: A tool/function call failed.
    *   `assistant.tool.response_received`: The AI assistant has received a response from a tool.

*   **7.6. Knowledge Base Events:**
    *   `assistant.knowledge_base.query_initiated`: The AI assistant is querying the knowledge base.
    *   `assistant.knowledge_base.query_succeeded`: Knowledge base query returned results.
    *   `assistant.knowledge_base.query_failed`: Knowledge base query failed or found no results.
    *   `assistant.knowledge_base.source_cited`: The AI assistant is citing a specific knowledge source.

*   **7.7. Transfer Events:**
    *   `assistant.transfer.initiated`: A transfer to a human agent or IVR has been initiated.
    *   `assistant.transfer.completed`: The transfer was successful.
    *   `assistant.transfer.failed`: The transfer failed.

*   **7.8. Security & Reliability:**
    *   **HMAC Signature Verification:** All webhooks will be signed for authenticity.
    *   **Retry Mechanisms:** Configurable retry logic with exponential backoff for failed webhook deliveries.
    *   **Event Ordering:** Guaranteed sequential delivery of events within a single conversation.

### 8. Rate Limits and Pricing Tiers

Structured pricing and rate limits to accommodate various use cases from development to enterprise scale.

*   **8.1. Pricing Tiers:**
    *   **Free Tier:** Limited usage for development and testing (e.g., 100 minutes ASR/TTS, 1,000 LLM tokens, basic analytics).
    *   **Developer Tier:** Increased limits, access to all core features, pay-as-you-go.
    *   **Business Tier:** Higher limits, priority support, advanced analytics, custom voice cloning (limited).
    *   **Enterprise Tier:** Custom pricing, dedicated resources, SLA guarantees, premium support, custom acoustic model training, full custom voice cloning, dedicated account management, data residency options.

*   **8.2. Pricing Models (Pay-as-you-go for core services):**
    *   **Voice Minutes:** Per-minute charge for ASR (Speech-to-Text) and TTS (Text-to-Speech), differentiated by language and voice quality (standard vs. premium neural).
    *   **LLM Tokens:** Per-token charge for input and output processed by the underlying Large Language Models (LLMs), potentially tiered by model complexity.
    *   **Knowledge Base Queries:** Per-query charge for retrieval from integrated knowledge bases.
    *   **Knowledge Base Storage/Indexing:** Per GB/per document charge for storing and indexing data in the knowledge base.
    *   **Function Calls:** Per successful function call to external tools.
    *   **WebRTC Widget Usage:** Per minute of active widget connection.
    *   **Custom Voice/Acoustic Models:** One-time setup fee + ongoing hosting/inference fees.
    *   **Dedicated Resources:** Optional add-on for high-volume enterprise customers requiring dedicated compute.

*   **8.3. Rate Limits:**
    *   **Concurrent AI Assistant Sessions:** Limits on the number of simultaneous active AI assistant conversations (tiered).
    *   **API Requests:** Limits on requests to management APIs (e.g., tool definition, KB updates) per minute/hour.
    *   **LLM Token Rates:** Limits on tokens processed per minute/second to prevent abuse and manage resource allocation.
    *   **Knowledge Base Query Rates:** Limits on queries per second to the knowledge base.
    *   **Custom Limits:** Enterprise customers can negotiate custom rate limits and burst capacities.

*   **8.4. Transparency:**
    *   **Usage Dashboard:** Real-time dashboard showing current usage against limits and estimated costs.
    *   **Alerts:** Configurable alerts for approaching rate limits or exceeding budget thresholds.
    *   **Detailed Billing:** Itemized billing statements for all AI assistant services.

### 9. Multi-language Support for Australian Market

Tailored language and cultural support specifically for the diverse Australian market.

*   **9.1. Core Australian Language Support:**
    *   **Australian English (AU-en):**
        *   **ASR:** Highly accurate recognition of diverse Australian accents (General, Broad, Cultivated), regional variations, and common Australian slang/idioms.
        *   **TTS:** Natural-sounding voices with authentic Australian English accents, including both male and female options, and expressive capabilities.
        *   **LLM Context:** Fine-tuned LLMs capable of understanding and generating responses that are culturally appropriate and contextually relevant to the Australian market (e.g., understanding local government structures, public holidays, common brands).

*   **9.2. Support for Key Australian Immigrant Languages:**
    *   **Comprehensive Coverage:** Enhanced ASR and TTS support for languages commonly spoken in Australia, including:
        *   Mandarin (Simplified Chinese)
        *   Vietnamese
        *   Arabic
        *   Cantonese (Traditional Chinese)
        *   Punjabi
        *   Hindi
        *   Tagalog
        *   Greek
        *   Italian
    *   **Accent Recognition:** ASR models trained to recognize accents of these languages as spoken by non-native speakers in Australia.
    *   **Polylingual Assistants:** Ability to deploy a single AI assistant that can seamlessly switch between Australian English and any of the supported immigrant languages based on user input.

*   **9.3. Localization Features:**
    *   **Time Zone & Date Formatting:** Automatic handling of Australian time zones and date formats (DD/MM/YYYY).
    *   **Currency:** Understanding and generation of Australian Dollar (AUD) currency values.
    *   **Address Formatting:** Recognition and generation of Australian postal addresses.
    *   **Compliance:** Adherence to relevant Australian consumer protection and data privacy regulations (e.g., Australian Privacy Principles).
    *   **Data Residency:** Option for enterprise customers to ensure data processing and storage for Australian customers remains within Australia.

### 10. Integration with CRM Systems

Deep, bi-directional integration with leading CRM systems to provide contextual and personalized customer interactions.

*   **10.1. Direct Integrations (Out-of-the-Box):**
    *   **Salesforce:** Service Cloud, Sales Cloud integration for case management, lead qualification, account information.
    *   **HubSpot:** Integration for contact management, deal tracking, support tickets.
    *   **Zendesk:** Seamless integration for ticket creation, updates, and customer history retrieval.
    *   **Microsoft Dynamics 365:** Sales, Customer Service, and Field Service modules integration.
    *   **Zoho CRM:** Contact and lead management, sales automation.

*   **10.2. API-based Custom Integrations:**
    *   **Generic REST API Connector:** A flexible tool/function calling mechanism to integrate with any custom or niche CRM system via their API.
    *   **Data Mapping Interface:** A user-friendly UI to map Telnyx AI Assistant data (e.g., intent, entities, call summary) to specific CRM fields.

*   **10.3. Bi-directional Data Synchronization:**
    *   **Retrieve Customer Data:** AI Assistant can query CRM to retrieve customer names, contact details, account status, purchase history, open tickets, recent interactions, and preferences in real-time.
    *   **Update CRM Records:**
        *   **Log Call Summaries:** Automatically create a call log entry in the CRM with a summary of the AI assistant interaction.
        *   **Update Case Status:** Change the status of a support ticket (e.g., "resolved by AI," "transferred to agent").
        *   **Create New Leads/Contacts:** If a new prospect is identified, create a new lead or contact record.
        *   **Add Notes:** Append notes to existing customer records.
        *   **Schedule Activities:** Create follow-up tasks or appointments.
        *   **Trigger Workflows:** Initiate CRM automation workflows (e.g., send a follow-up email).

*   **10.4. Agent Assist & Handoff:**
    *   **Screen Pop:** When transferring a call to a human agent, the CRM record for the customer will automatically "pop" on the agent's screen, pre-filled with the conversation context and AI-generated summary.
    *   **AI-driven Suggestions:** During a live agent call, the AI assistant can provide real-time suggestions or knowledge base articles to the agent based on the ongoing conversation, displayed within the CRM interface or a separate agent console.

*   **10.5. Security & Authentication:**
    *   **OAuth 2.0:** Secure authentication mechanisms (e.g., OAuth 2.0) for connecting to CRM systems.
    *   **Granular Permissions:** Configure specific read/write permissions for the AI assistant within the CRM.
    *   **Data Encryption:** Encrypted communication channels for all data exchange between Telnyx and CRM systems.

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