Voice AI vs conversational AI: what's the difference?

Voice AI and conversational AI are distinct yet interconnected technologies, with conversational AI serving as the broader intelligence layer capable of understanding, reasoning, and responding to human language across various mediums, including text and voice. Voice AI specifically applies this intelligence to spoken language interactions, utilizing speech-to-text and text-to-speech components to facilitate real-time, voice-based communication. While conversational AI can function without voice, as seen in text-based chatbots and messaging bots, voice AI inherently depends on conversational AI for its underlying intelligence. The decision to use voice AI or stick with text-based conversational AI depends on the specific use case, such as the immediacy required in phone support or the nuance capture needed in voice interactions. Twilio supports both voice and conversational AI, integrating them into a single seamless communication experience across multiple channels like voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and chat.