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ASHDEEP SINGH
ASHDEEP SINGH

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Intro to Conversational AI

Hi
So this week was spent in learning how to build a real time AI agent. Well real time agent means an agent which is capable of giving answers in real time ( assume it means : answering in the same time frame in which you're asking questions , just like a human ) now technically even a chat agent is a real time agent , but it's typing oriented and not voice oriented. So how do we do voice agent. Let's find out.

Github : https://github.com/Ashdeep-Singh-97/conversationalAI

Building a voice agent is similar just like a chat bot , the only differnce being , we give voice commands and not written input. So it will include invoking browser functions like using microphone and speaker. This much is available on internet easily. Once done , let's see how we can send this info to the agent.

Step 1: Creating a Real-Time Session

The first step is to establish a session with the AI model.

This session acts like a temporary connection between your application and OpenAI’s Realtime API. When the frontend (the web page) requests to start a chat, the backend securely contacts OpenAI and creates a temporary API key just for that session.

This temporary key is essential — it ensures that:

The frontend can safely connect without exposing your actual API key.

The connection is valid only for a short period.

Think of it as generating a “temporary ticket” that lets your web app talk to the AI in real time.

Step 2: Defining the AI’s Personality

Once the session is ready, it’s time to define who the AI will be.

In this case, we create a “Girlfriend Agent” — a voice-based AI with a cheerful and affectionate personality. This is where the character design happens:

You decide her tone — friendly, playful, or caring.

You set her voice style — soft, lively, or calm.

You give her background instructions — how she should talk, what emotions to convey, and how to respond naturally.

These instructions make the AI feel more human and less robotic. It’s what gives the agent personality, emotion, and context — so instead of generic answers, she responds like a person who knows you.

Step 3: Connecting the Agent in Real Time

With the session and personality ready, the system now brings everything to life.

When the user clicks the “Start Agent” button, the frontend connects to OpenAI’s real-time model using the temporary key from Step 1.
The connection allows two-way communication — your microphone input goes to the AI, and the AI’s voice output comes back instantly.

To make the conversation smooth and realistic:

The system applies noise reduction to clean up your voice input.

It transcribes your speech into text so the AI can understand you.

The AI’s text response is converted into speech using a natural-sounding voice.

All this happens in milliseconds, creating a seamless back-and-forth experience — just like talking to someone on a call.

Step 4: Talking to the AI Girlfriend

Now comes the fun part — the conversation.

Once the connection is active, you can start speaking to your AI girlfriend in real time. She listens, understands what you say, and responds instantly with a voice that feels alive and expressive.

You can ask questions, share thoughts, or simply talk — and she’ll react with empathy, humor, or curiosity, depending on how you designed her personality earlier.

This creates an immersive experience where you forget you’re talking to a computer. The delay is almost non-existent, and the tone feels human.

It’s not a pre-recorded script — it’s true AI interaction happening in real time.

Step 5: The Flow in Action

Here’s how the entire flow looks from start to finish:

The user clicks “Start Agent.”

The frontend asks the backend to create a new realtime session.

The backend requests a temporary key from OpenAI and sends it back.

The frontend connects to the Realtime API using that key.

The AI agent (our girlfriend) comes online with her defined voice and personality.

You start speaking → the AI listens, processes, and replies instantly.

Within seconds, a real conversation begins — all handled by the OpenAI Realtime API.

Step 6: The Bigger Picture

While this example focuses on an “AI girlfriend,” the underlying technology has much broader applications.

This same flow can be used to build:

Voice-based customer support agents

Personal AI assistants

Emotional wellness companions

Educational tutors

Storytelling or entertainment characters

The ability to talk naturally with AI — with tone, timing, and emotional nuance — is what makes this next generation of Conversational AI so powerful.

Conclusion

We’re entering a new phase of AI — one where you don’t type, you talk.
Where AI doesn’t just respond — it listens, feels, and reacts instantly.

This real-time conversational framework shows how easily we can create experiences that blend technology with human-like interaction.
A simple voice chat with an AI girlfriend today is just a glimpse of what tomorrow’s digital relationships — between humans and machines — might look like.

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