# Voice Autopilot call handling

Let an AI agent answer incoming telephone calls and use configured transfer, callback, voicemail and call-ending actions.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › AI › Features** · **Settings › AI › Functions**

## What it is

**Voice Autopilot** answers incoming telephone calls with an AI agent. The agent listens and speaks during the call using your instructions. With the appropriate functions selected, it can transfer callers, request a callback, start voicemail recording or end the call.

## Who uses it and why

Users with the **Settings** or **Developer** role configure the agent's voice, instructions and available actions. Operators handle calls transferred to the human queue and follow up callbacks or voicemail. Callers speak to the agent over the telephone.

## Where to find it

Open **Settings › AI › Features** and choose **Voice Autopilot**. Configuration requires the **Settings** role with **AI** allowed under **Settings Permissions**, or the **Developer** role.

Manage the available actions under **Settings › AI › Functions** with the same roles. The **Settings** role grants access to voice service configuration under **Settings › Voice › Voice Accounts**, **Voice Numbers** and **General Settings**.

## How it works

1. Your incoming call routing sends a call to the configured voice agent.
2. If **Initial Greeting Message** is set, the agent delivers that exact opening line once. Otherwise, it greets according to its instructions.
3. The agent listens to the caller, responds and uses the selected functions when needed.
4. Available actions can check whether an operator can take the call, transfer to human handling, register a callback, redirect to voicemail or end the call.
5. If the active AI call reaches **Max Duration (secs)**, INSIDE announces the handover and transfers it to the human queue.

When you configure an exact transfer, callback, voicemail or goodbye message, INSIDE waits for that message to finish playing before the associated redirect or hang-up. Callback confirmation follows successful registration; a voicemail introduction follows preparation for recording.

## Configure it

Ask Powerfront to prepare the voice AI account. Configure incoming telephone routing with the **Settings** role. Create a **Voice Autopilot** feature and set **Instructions**, **Voice**, **Model** and **Functions**. An empty function selection supplies no default call-control tools.

Set **Max Duration (secs)** between **60** and **3600**. Add the greeting and handover messages you want callers to hear. Blank action-message fields leave those messages to the instructions; a blank **Max Duration Transfer Message** uses a built-in message.

Choose the transcription model and language. Add a **Transcription Prompt** for terminology that callers use. **VAD Mode** changes how speech turns are detected.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructions | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: calls transfer to the human queue | Settings role, Developer role | Defines how the voice agent handles callers and when it uses its available actions. |
| Functions | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: no call-control or custom functions | Settings role, Developer role | Selects call-control actions and other functions available to the agent. |
| Voice | Settings › AI › Features | website | Alloy | Settings role, Developer role | Selects the speaking voice heard by callers. |
| Model | Settings › AI › Features | website | gpt-realtime | Settings role, Developer role | Selects the model that listens and generates speech. |
| Max Duration (secs) | Settings › AI › Features | website | 600 seconds | Settings role, Developer role | Limits AI handling before an active call transfers to the human queue. |
| Initial Greeting Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set; greeting follows the instructions | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies the exact opening line to speak once at call start. |
| Max Duration Transfer Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Thanks so much for your patience. I'm now connecting you with a member of our team who will continue to help you. Please stay on the line. | Settings role, Developer role | Tells the caller about the handover when the duration limit is reached. |
| Human Transfer Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set; message follows the instructions | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies an exact message to play before redirecting a prepared human transfer. |
| Request Callback Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set; message follows the instructions | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies an exact confirmation after registering a callback and before ending the call. |
| Record Voicemail Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set; message follows the instructions | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies an exact introduction before redirecting the caller to voicemail recording. |
| Call End (Goodbye) Message | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set; goodbye follows the instructions | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies an exact closing message to finish playing before the agent ends the call. |
| Transcription Model | Settings › AI › Features | website | gpt-4o-transcribe | Settings role, Developer role | Selects speech-to-text processing for caller audio; an empty selection disables transcription. |
| Transcription Language | Settings › AI › Features | website | Auto Detect | Settings role, Developer role | Uses automatic language detection or restricts transcription to the selected language. |
| Transcription Prompt | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: no extra transcription guidance | Settings role, Developer role | Gives transcription context for specialised words and terminology. |
| VAD Mode | Settings › AI › Features | website | Automatic (OpenAI Server VAD) | Settings role, Developer role | Selects how INSIDE detects speech turns and pauses. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure Voice Autopilot when AI is allowed under Settings Permissions, and manage voice setup. |
| AI | Allows AI configuration within Settings Permissions. |
| Developer | Configure Voice Autopilot features and functions. |

## Limits and good to know

- The default maximum AI handling time is ten minutes. Transferring to a queue does not guarantee an operator answers immediately.
- A function must be selected and available for the agent to use it. Instructions alone do not add actions.
- Voice Autopilot has separate speech handling from text Autopilot. Do not assume the same settings apply to both.
- A workflow task can take over voice handling without displaying the visitor's web-chat task interface.
- Call recording and voicemail retention follow the separate voice settings.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [AI accounts and shared defaults](AIP-001.md): Voice Autopilot needs an AI account with the speech service credentials.
- **Requires** [Voice Autopilot connection setup](AIP-025.md): Realtime voice AI provides speech processing for the call.
- **Requires** [Voice provider accounts and telephone numbers](RTC-001.md): Voice accounts and telephone numbers provide the incoming call service.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Roles and AI permissions control configuration access.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): The AI feature stores voice behaviour and account selection.
- **Configured in** [AI functions and required inputs](AI-016.md): The selected functions determine which call actions and custom operations are available.
- **Configured in** [Voice Autopilot turn detection and interruptions](AIP-026.md): Speech turn-taking and playback affect interruptions and spoken handover messages.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant tasks started by Autopilot](ENG-027.md): A configured workflow task can take over from the voice agent without displaying a web form.
- **Works better with** [Voice queue and call offers](RTC-003.md): Human handover returns the call to normal voice queue handling.
- **Works better with** [Telephone callback requests](RTC-009.md): The agent can register a telephone callback request.
- **Works better with** [Voicemail messages and follow-up](RTC-010.md): The agent can redirect a caller to voicemail recording.
- **Related** [Telephone transcription](RTC-014.md): Voice Autopilot has separate transcription settings from telephone and recording transcription.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): AI and voice must be enabled for the website.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Voice Autopilot connection setup](AIP-025.md): Voice Autopilot instructions and enabled actions govern the conversation.
- **Configures** [Voice Autopilot turn detection and interruptions](AIP-026.md): The voice feature supplies greetings, final announcements and permitted actions.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant tasks started by Autopilot](ENG-027.md): Voice Autopilot can start action-only tasks through its separate voice handling.
- **Enhances** [Voice provider accounts and telephone numbers](RTC-001.md): A number can select a Voice Autopilot feature.
- **Enhances** [Autonomous AI performance reports](REP-024.md): Voice Autopilot has a separate channel performance view.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why can the agent talk but not transfer or request a callback?

Check **Functions** on the feature and the corresponding entries in **Settings › AI › Functions**. No call-control tools are supplied when the selection is empty.

### Why did the agent transfer an unfinished call after ten minutes?

The default **Max Duration (secs)** is **600**. Change the duration within the supported range and review **Max Duration Transfer Message**.

### How do I control the exact greeting or goodbye?

Set **Initial Greeting Message** and **Call End (Goodbye) Message**. The separate fields control the spoken wording directly.

### Why is specialist terminology transcribed incorrectly?

Review **Transcription Model**, **Transcription Language** and **Transcription Prompt**. The transcription prompt can supply context for specialised terms.