Deepgram is an intriguing company. Have they solved the problem that Apple still misses with Siri or Amazon with its new Alexa? They bill themselves as “World’s Only Enterprise-Ready, Real-Time, and Cost-Effective Conversational AI API.” They have developed a voice AI platform.
In addition, its CEO Scott Stephenson has become a YouTuber with a YouTube channel (billed as a podcast, but it isn’t one), “The Scott Stephenson AI Show” — A No-Hype, Deep-Dive Podcast on the AI Revolution. Oh, he’s also on Spotify. I am not. I download podcasts on Overcast. I haven’t the time to watch many 40+ minute YouTube videos. I’ve watched much of this one. He does provide a knowledgeable overview in this episode.
Back to the Deepgram API.
Deepgram announced the general availability (GA) of its Voice Agent API, a single, unified voice-to-voice interface that gives developers full control to build context-aware voice agents that power natural, responsive conversations. Combining speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and large language model (LLM) orchestration with contextualized conversational logic into a unified architecture, the Voice Agent API gives developers the choice of using Deepgram’s fully integrated stack (leveraging industry-leading Nova-3 STT and Aura-2 TTS models) or bringing their own LLM and TTS models. It delivers the simplicity developers love and the controllability enterprises need to deploy real-time, intelligent voice agents at scale. Today, companies like Aircall, Jack in the Box, StreamIt, and OpenPhone are building voice agents with Deepgram to save costs, reduce wait times, and increase customer loyalty.
I can no longer download and play with software like in the old days. I’d suggest that if you’re a developer and need a voice assistant, try it out.
For teams taking the DIY route, the challenge isn’t just connecting models but also building and operating the entire runtime layer that makes real-time conversations work. Teams must manage live audio streaming, accurately detect when a user has finished speaking, coordinate model responses, handle mid-sentence interruptions, and maintain a natural conversational cadence. While some platforms offer partial orchestration features, most APIs do not provide a fully integrated runtime. As a result, developers are often left to manage streaming, session state, and coordination logic across fragmented services, which adds complexity and delays time to production.
Deepgram’s Voice Agent API removes this burden by providing a single, unified API that integrates speech-to-text, LLM reasoning, and text-to-speech with built-in support for real-time conversational dynamics. Capabilities such as barge-in handling and turn-taking prediction are model-driven and managed natively within the platform. This eliminates the need to stitch together multiple vendors or maintain custom orchestration, enabling faster prototyping, reduced complexity, and more time focused on building high-quality experiences.
In addition to the Voice Agent API, organizations seeking broader integrations can leverage Deepgram’s extensive partner ecosystem, including Kore.ai, OneReach.ai, Twilio and others, to access comprehensive conversational AI solutions and services powered by Deepgram APIs.
Key capabilities include:
- Flexible Deployment: Run the complete voice stack in cloud, VPC, or on-prem environments to meet enterprise requirements for security, compliance, and performance.
- Runtime-Level Orchestration: Deepgram’s runtime supports mid-session control, real-time prompt updates, model switching, and event-driven signaling to adapt agent behavior dynamically.
- Bring-Your-Own Models: Teams can integrate their own LLMs or TTS systems while retaining Deepgram’s orchestration, streaming pipeline, and real-time responsiveness.
In addition to control and performance, the Voice Agent API is built for cost efficiency across large-scale deployments. When teams run entirely on Deepgram’s vertically integrated stack, pricing is fully consolidated at a flat rate of $4.50 per hour. This provides predictable, all-in-one billing that simplifies planning and scales with usage.
