All glossary terms
GlossaryTerm 9 of 20
IVR
Definition
Short for interactive voice response, an older style automated phone system that routes calls based on button presses or a narrow set of recognized keywords.
Going deeper
01
Its limits
It only understands a fixed menu of options, anything outside that narrow set of expected inputs typically results in the caller getting routed incorrectly or stuck.
02
How an AI voice agent is different
An AI voice agent understands open ended, natural speech using a language model, rather than matching against a fixed list of button presses.
Related terms
Hear the difference on a real call.
Watch a live conversation in a 15 minute walkthrough.

