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Can You Tell It’s a Bot? Voice AI That Sounds More Human Than Humans



AI has come a long way from awkward chatbots that gave stiff, pre-programmed answers. Today, AI voices might just fool you into thinking you’re talking to a real person. On this episode of The AI Grapple, I sat down with Joey Seeman, founder of Nova Echo AI, to explore the fascinating world of voice AI and its power to make conversations more human - sometimes even more human than humans themselves.


 

From Marketing Challenges to AI Innovation

Joey’s journey into AI started in the marketing world. His team was generating plenty of leads for clients, but the problem wasn’t the quantity - it was the follow-up. Businesses simply couldn’t handle the flood of inquiries. Leads were going cold, clients were frustrated, and conversion rates were suffering.


That pain point led Joey down the AI rabbit hole. While experimenting with traditional chatbots, Joey noticed that people weren’t interested in typing. They wanted to talk. Voice, it turned out, was the missing piece. What began as a chatbot experiment soon evolved into full-blown voice AI - technology capable of making and answering phone calls in real time, sounding convincingly human and solving one of business’s biggest challenges: customer and lead management at scale.


 

Generative AI Meets Voice

So, what makes voice AI different from the bots we’ve known for years? It’s all about generative AI.


While old-school chatbots could only answer a limited set of questions, generative AI unlocks open-ended conversations. Customers don’t have to stick to a script. They can ask anything - and get a relevant, human-sounding response. Joey and his team took that power and brought it to voice calls.


Voice AI lets businesses answer inbound calls or make outbound sales calls with a virtual assistant that sounds natural, conversational, and - most importantly - responsive. It’s not just reading lines. It listens, it interprets, and it speaks like a person.


In fact, Joey revealed that when users aren't warned that it’s AI, over 95% of them never even question whether they’re speaking to a real person. The system handles both customer service and sales, making it a versatile tool for businesses of all sizes.


 

Does Voice AI Break the Human Connection?

The inevitable question: does this technology risk making human connection feel... less human?


Joey sees it differently. For him, AI is a tool, not a replacement for human emotion. He’s clear that the goal isn’t to create meaning where there shouldn’t be any - it’s to make AI useful. Whether it’s helping businesses respond faster or enabling a more natural customer experience, AI is there to enhance, not impersonate.


He’s particularly cautious about the role of AI in sensitive applications like therapy. While AI can help with tasks such as providing structured support between sessions, Joey emphasises that meaningful human-to-human interaction is still essential.


 

The Safety Net: Humans Still in the Loop

Joey knows the frustration many of us feel when stuck in an automated loop without a human escape. Nova Echo AI has built-in pathways to prevent that.


Their system can:

  • Seamlessly transfer a call to a human agent when needed.

  • Book appointments directly through voice interactions.

  • Provide helpful resources when it reaches the limits of its knowledge.


In short, it’s designed to know when not to pretend it knows everything.


 

The Bigger Picture - Industries and Ethics

The applications for voice AI go far beyond sales. Joey sees massive potential in sectors like:

  • Nonprofits - where high-cost fundraising calls could be automated, letting more of each donation reach the cause.

  • Government services - reducing long call queues with fast, responsive virtual agents.

  • Healthcare - Joey even envisions AI supporting telehealth and mental health services (with careful boundaries, of course).


But with power comes responsibility. Joey is honest about AI’s disruptive potential, including its impact on jobs. While Nova Echo AI focuses on enhancing current teams rather than replacing them, he acknowledges that as AI advances, it will inevitably reshape the workforce. His advice? Learn to use AI as a partner, not a rival.


 

Generations and AI

As one of the younger voices in the AI space, Joey offers a refreshing take on how different generations approach this technology. He observes that while younger people tend to adopt AI quickly without overthinking its implications, older generations often carry the wisdom to question its long-term effects. Joey believes that both perspectives are needed to steer AI development responsibly.


Guardrails and Governance

Joey isn’t blind to the risks. He agrees that regulation is necessary — but he’s skeptical about how it will be achieved. As AI becomes more embedded in global systems, from governments to businesses, who controls it becomes the real question. Joey stresses the importance of keeping humans “in the loop” for as long as possible, ensuring we retain the ability to steer the direction of AI.


 

Voice AI Is Here - And It’s Just Getting Started

Joey’s optimism is infectious. He’s passionate about improving latency (the delay between you speaking and the AI replying), refining voice quality (yes, including Australian accents!), and unlocking new features. Whether it’s assisting small businesses for just a few hundred dollars a month or transforming how global enterprises engage with their customers, voice AI is poised to become a major player.


As Joey puts it, “Voice is how people prefer to connect.” The technology isn’t replacing human connection - it’s just making it easier to have.


Connect with Joey Seeman to learn more about his work with Nova Echo AI. Stay tuned to The AI Grapple for more conversations about how AI is shaping industries, improving lives, and redefining the way we work. The full video episode is also available now on YouTube - watch it here.


 

📣 Connect with Joey

 
 
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