1. Why so much confusion?
In the world of voice AI, terms like voicebot, callbot, and AI voice agent are often used interchangeably. But these technologies are far from identical—they vary significantly in capability, complexity, and business impact
This confusion makes it harder for businesses to choose the right solution. If you’re looking to automate inbound or outbound calls, you likely don’t want a glorified IVR.
2. What is a voicebot?
A voicebot is a voice-enabled assistant built into a digital interface, like a mobile app, website, or connected device (e.g. Alexa, Google Assistant). It doesn’t handle phone calls, but operates within a visual or software environment
From a technical perspective, a voicebot uses speech recognition to convert spoken input into text, then matches that input to a predefined command or intent. Responses are often tied to a limited set of functions within the host environment
Typical use cases
Ask Alexa to play musicUse your banking app’s voice assistant to check your balanceGet quick help inside a mobile customer support appLimitations
Voicebots don’t handle phone callsThey're often limited to predefined commandsThey can't take autonomous action outside the app
3. What is a callbot?
A callbot is a telephony-focused automation tool that interacts with users over a phone line. It typically relies on simple scripts, often resembling upgraded IVR (interactive voice response) systems
Callbots recognize a limited range of voice inputs — sometimes using DTMF (keypad tones) or keyword spotting — and follow predefined call flows to guide users
From a technical point of view, callbots often lack true conversational intelligence. They work well for structured tasks but break down with unexpected inputs
How it works
You call a numberYou hear a prompt like: “Say ‘Yes’ to confirm your appointment”The callbot uses keyword spotting to route or confirm the requestLimitations
No deep understanding of natural languageCan’t personalize responsesDoesn’t adapt to user context4. What is an AI voice agent? (What Rounded builds)An AI voice agent is the most powerful and flexible version of a voice automation system. Unlike callbots or voicebots, it is powered by large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Mistral, or Claude
Here’s how it works under the hood
Speech-to-text (transcription): The voice input is transcribed in real time
Intent recognition (LLM): The transcribed text is processed by the LLM, which understands the user’s request, chooses an appropriate response, and can also determine what action to trigger
Action layer: The agent can connect to external tools via API — booking appointments, retrieving CRM data, sending a notification, etc
Text-to-speech (TTS): The reply is converted into natural-sounding speech and played back to the caller
This full-stack approach allows AI voice agents to conduct fluid, unscripted conversations while taking real action in external systems
Key capabilities
Natural Language Understanding (NLU)Autonomy and context awarenessActionable outcomes: schedule appointments, update CRMs, follow up on leadsUse cases include
Customer supportAppointment bookingLead qualificationAutomated outbound campaignsThis is exactly the kind of voice agent you can deploy with Rounded in just a few hours.
5. Comparison table
- Use a voicebot if you need simple interactions inside apps or devices.
- Use a callbot if you just want a basic phone menu.
- Use an AI voice agent if you need to truly automate, scale, and personalize customer calls.
- Choose the LLM (like ChatGPT or Mistral)
- Customize the voice, tone, and prompts
- Connect to your tools via API (HubSpot, Notion, Zapier, internal CRMs…)
- Monitor every call with transcripts, extracted variables, and custom workflows
6. Choosing the right voice technologyTo summarize
Rounded lets you create and deploy real AI voice agents — intelligent, scalable, and deeply integrated with your business logic
All of this — without writing a single line of code
Whether you’re looking to automate your inbound support or outbound reminders, Rounded gives you the infrastructure to scale voice interactions with precision and personality.