The Future of Voice AI

Russ d’Sa, founder and CEO of LiveKit, joins the show to unpack the rise of voice AI and what it means for how we interact with technology. From the shift away from static decision trees to dynamic, LLM-powered systems, Russ explains why voice is emerging as one of the most natural interfaces for humans—and one of the most disruptive opportunities for builders. This episode goes beyond surface-level hype to explore real-world use cases, infrastructure shifts, and what’s coming next as voice moves from novelty to mainstream. Key Takeaways • Voice AI has moved far beyond Siri and Alexa—LLMs enable open-ended, natural conversations without rigid decision trees. • Two main categories are emerging: open-ended voice experiences (like tutoring and therapy apps) and goal-oriented workflows (like healthcare intake, finance, and customer support). • The biggest barrier isn’t just technology, but adoption behavior—older generations default to typing and screens, while younger users and voice-first cultures are accelerating change. • Infrastructure for voice and video AI requires a fundamental shift from stateless web servers to stateful, long-lived conversational systems. • The hardest technical challenge ahead: mastering conversational turn-taking so AI can interact as naturally as a human. Timestamped Highlights 01:06 How LiveKit is giving applications the ability to see, hear, and speak 04:18 The two main categories of voice AI use cases emerging right now 09:53 Why adoption of voice AI depends as much on behavior as on technology 14:20 Imagining a 24/7 voice-driven AI that replaces screens and UIs 20:30 Why the internet’s original infrastructure wasn’t built for voice and video AI 25:39 The challenge of memory, authentication, and group dynamics in AI conversations A line worth remembering “If you have a computer that perfectly understands when to speak, when to listen, and adds value in the right moments—why would you ever use anything else?” Call to Action If you enjoyed this conversation, share it with a colleague who’s curious about where AI is headed. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss future episodes diving into the technologies shaping the next decade.