Voice in Web Chat: More Accessible Conversations

A more natural, inclusive way to engage with your virtual assistant

We’ve just added native voice capabilities to the indigo.ai web chat widget, making conversations more human-like, accessible, and intuitive than ever.

Users can now listen to messages or speak instead of typing, all directly within the widget.

Voice has long been available as a dedicated channel (for phone-based virtual assistants), and now it’s available in your web chat too.

This update unlocks a powerful layer of accessibility and usability: users with visual impairments, reading difficulties, or limited mobility, as well as those simply on the go, can now engage with your AI Agent using their voice.

🎙️ Speak Instead of Typing

Users can now record a voice message right from the typebar in normal chat mode. Instead of sending the audio directly, the system transcribes the message and places the resulting text in the typebar, ready for editing or immediate sending.

This makes it easier and faster to communicate, especially for users who prefer speaking over typing, or those using mobile devices.

🎧 Listen to the Bot’s Messages

Users can now listen to any message from the virtual assistant with a single tap. A dedicated speaker icon appears next to every message: when clicked, it reads the virtual assistants' message aloud using the selected voice and provider (e.g., ElevenLabs).

• A quick loading indicator appears before the playback starts

• Users can pause or stop playback at any time

• The voice used can be customized in the platform settings

This makes content more accessible and creates a more natural interaction flow, especially in mobile and multitasking environments.

📞 Call Mode (Coming Soon)

We are working on a feature that will allow users to start a real-time voice call with your AI Agent, right from the web chat. With this feature, the chat transforms into a fully voice-based experience.

This will open up an entirely new way for customers to engage, especially for use cases like support, onboarding, or conversational services.

🔧 How to Enable

You can activate both message listening and voice input directly from your workspace settings under: Settings → Web Chat → Voice.

You can:

• Choose a voice provider (e.g., ElevenLabs)

• Select a preferred voice

• Enable listening and/or voice input modes.

These new voice features are now available to all workspaces. No special API or configuration required: just activate them in your widget settings.