Voice Mode in Ask AI - Complete Guide

Talk naturally to your AI assistant — hands-free conversations for workforce management.

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What is Voice Mode?

Voice Mode transforms Ask AI into a real-time voice assistant. Instead of typing questions, simply click the microphone button and speak naturally. The AI listens, understands, and responds with spoken answers — just like talking to a colleague.

Core Value Proposition:

• 🎤 Hands-Free Operation — Ask questions while walking the floor, driving, or when your hands are occupied
• 🌍 Multilingual Support — Speak in 26+ languages and get responses in the same language automatically
• ⚡ Real-Time Responses — Low-latency speech-to-speech powered by OpenAI’s Realtime API
• 💬 Unified History — Voice conversations save to your chat history alongside text messages

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At a Glance

🎙️ Voice Options	⏱️ Daily Limit	🌍 Languages	📱 Access
10 voices	30 min/user	26+	Desktop & Mobile

Perfect For:

• 👷 Frontline Workers — Quick questions without stopping work or typing on small screens
• 📊 Managers on the Go — Check schedules, reports, and team status while mobile
• 🌐 Multilingual Teams — Speak your native language for comfortable, natural interactions

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How It Works

Voice Conversation Flow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                        VOICE MODE WORKFLOW                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   ┌──────────────┐         ┌──────────────┐         ┌──────────────┐   │
│   │  Click Mic   │───▶     │   Speak      │───▶     │   AI Listens │   │
│   │   Button     │         │   Question   │         │  & Processes │   │
│   └──────────────┘         └──────────────┘         └──────────────┘   │
│                                    │                                    │
│                                    ▼                                    │
│                            ┌──────────────┐                            │
│                            │  AI Speaks   │                            │
│                            │   Response   │                            │
│                            └──────────────┘                            │
│                                    │                                    │
│                                    ▼                                    │
│                   ┌──────────────────────────────┐                     │
│                   │  Say "goodbye" or press Esc  │                     │
│                   │       to end session         │                     │
│                   └──────────────────────────────┘                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Same AI, Different Input

Voice Mode uses the exact same AI capabilities as text chat. Behind the scenes:

1. Your speech is transcribed using OpenAI Whisper
2. The transcript is processed by the same AskAiMasterService
3. The response is optimized for speech (concise, no markdown)
4. OpenAI generates natural-sounding spoken response

This means voice users get access to all the same agents and tools as text users.

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Key Features

🎤 Real-Time Voice Conversations

Start a voice session with one click. The AI greets you by name and listens for your questions.

Feature	Description
Instant Connection	WebRTC connection established in under 2 seconds
Live Transcription	See your words transcribed as you speak
Natural Conversation	No “press to talk” — just speak naturally
Visual Feedback	Audio waveform shows your voice is being captured

Use Case: A warehouse supervisor asks “Who’s on shift tonight?” while walking the floor. The AI responds in seconds without requiring them to stop or type.

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🌍 Automatic Language Detection

Voice Mode detects which language you’re speaking and responds in the same language — no configuration needed.

Supported Languages
English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Thai, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Czech, Romanian, Hungarian, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Malay, Ukrainian

How It Works:

1. You speak in any supported language
2. Unicode script detection identifies the language from your transcribed speech
3. AI processes your query (GPT-4 understands all languages natively)
4. Response is spoken back in your detected language

Use Case: A hotel housekeeper asks about their schedule in Spanish. The AI responds in Spanish with their shift information.

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🔇 Background Noise Filtering

Voice Mode uses a volume gate to filter out background noise like TV audio, office chatter, and HVAC noise.

Filter	Description
Volume Threshold	Audio must exceed 20% volume to be considered speech
Sustained Detection	Sound must persist for 300ms+ to trigger processing
Smart Reset	Filters reset between utterances for accurate detection

Use Case: A manager in a busy break room can have a voice conversation without the AI responding to the TV in the background.

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⏱️ Session Management

Voice sessions are designed for natural, hands-free conversations with smart session handling.

Feature	Description
Personalized Greeting	AI greets you by name when session starts
Session Timer	Visual display shows conversation duration
Idle Detection	Sessions auto-end after 12 seconds of silence
Voice Commands	Say “goodbye” or “end session” to finish
Keyboard Shortcut	Press Esc to end session instantly
Query Cancellation	Say “cancel” or “never mind” to interrupt

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🗣️ 10 Voice Options

Choose from 10 different AI voices to match your preference.

Voice	Style
Marin	Natural & expressive (recommended)
Cedar	Warm & articulate (recommended)
Alloy	Balanced & professional (default)
Ash	Warm & conversational
Ballad	Expressive & dynamic
Coral	Clear & friendly
Echo	Authoritative & clear
Sage	Calm & thoughtful
Shimmer	Bright & energetic
Verse	Versatile & neutral

Administrators can set the default voice in Ask AI configuration.

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💬 Chat History Integration

Voice conversations aren’t lost — they’re saved to your chat history.

Feature	Description
🎤 Voice Badge	Messages show microphone icon to indicate voice input
Session Separator	Clear visual divider between voice sessions
Full Transcript	Both your questions and AI responses are saved
Unified Search	Search finds voice and text messages together

Use Case: A manager asks “What’s my overtime this week?” via voice while walking. Later at their desk, they see the answer in their chat history to reference again.

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🛡️ Smart Error Recovery

Voice Mode handles connection issues gracefully.

Scenario	Behavior
Connection Lost	Automatic reconnection attempts (up to 3 times)
Response Timeout	“Still thinking…” message after 5 seconds
Multiple Errors	Offers to connect you with human support
API Issues	Clear error messages with retry guidance

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📊 Usage Tracking & Billing

For administrators, Voice Mode includes comprehensive usage tracking.

Metric	Description
Session Count	Total voice sessions started
Duration Minutes	Time spent in voice conversations
Cost Tracking	$0.06/minute billing (if configured)
Daily/Monthly Stats	Usage dashboards for monitoring

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User Roles & Permissions

Role	Capabilities
Employee	Start voice sessions, view own history, daily limit applies
Manager	All employee features + view team usage
HR/Admin	All features + configure voice settings, set daily limits
Super Admin	All features + access billing configuration, view all usage

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How We Compare

See how MangoApps Workforce Voice Mode stacks up against competitors:

Feature	MangoApps Workforce	Microsoft Copilot	Workday Assistant	Google Workspace
Real-time Voice Conversations	✅	✅	❌	✅
Automatic Language Detection	✅	✅	❌	✅
26+ Languages	✅	✅	💰	✅
Chat History Integration	✅	✅	❌	✅
Background Noise Filtering	✅	❌	❌	✅
Workforce-Specific Tools	✅	❌	✅	❌
No Additional License	✅	💰	💰	💰

Legend: ✅ Included

❌ Not Available

💰 Paid Add-on

Why MangoApps Workforce?

• 🔗 Unified Platform — Voice Mode accesses the same HR, scheduling, and reporting tools as text chat
• 💰 No Hidden Costs — Included in your plan, no per-user voice license
• 🏭 Built for Workforce — Designed for frontline workers, not just desk employees

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Getting Started

For Employees

1. Open Ask AI — Click the sparkles icon (✨) in the top navigation
2. Click the Microphone — Look for the mic button next to the text input
3. Allow Microphone Access — Grant browser permission when prompted
4. Start Talking — Speak naturally, the AI is listening
5. End Session — Say “goodbye” or press Escape

For Managers

1. Enable Voice Mode — Ensure Ask AI is enabled in your business settings
2. Test Voice Features — Try asking “What shifts does my team have today?”
3. Check Usage — Monitor team voice usage in the admin dashboard

For Administrators

1. Enable Voice Mode — Go to Apps → Ask AI → Configure
2. Set Daily Limits — Configure per-user daily minute limits (0-120 min)
3. Choose Default Voice — Select preferred AI voice for your organization
4. Monitor Billing — View usage in Admin → Billing → Voice Settings

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Best Practices

• ✅ Speak clearly — Face your microphone and speak at normal volume
• ✅ Minimize background noise — Find a quieter spot for better accuracy
• ✅ Use natural language — Ask questions as you would to a colleague
• ✅ Wait for responses — Let the AI finish speaking before your next question
• ✅ End sessions properly — Say “goodbye” rather than just closing the browser

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I start a voice conversation?
A: Click the microphone button next to the chat input in Ask AI. Grant microphone permission when your browser asks, then simply start speaking.

Q: Does Voice Mode work on mobile?
A: Yes, Voice Mode works on mobile browsers that support WebRTC (Chrome, Safari, Firefox). The experience is optimized for hands-free use.

Q: What languages does Voice Mode support?
A: Voice Mode automatically detects and responds in 26+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, and more. Just speak in your preferred language.

Q: Are voice conversations saved?
A: Yes, all voice conversations are saved to your chat history with a 🎤 indicator. You can search and reference them like any text conversation.

Q: What’s the daily limit for voice?
A: By default, users have 30 minutes of voice time per day. Administrators can adjust this limit from 0-120 minutes in the Ask AI configuration.

Q: How do I end a voice session?
A: Say “goodbye”, “bye”, or “end session” — or press the Escape key on your keyboard. You can also click the “End Call” button.

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Microphone not working	Check browser permissions, try reloading the page
AI not responding	Speak louder/closer to mic, check internet connection
Wrong language responses	Speak more clearly in your target language
Session keeps ending	Speak more frequently — sessions end after 12s silence
Daily limit reached	Wait until tomorrow or ask admin to increase limit

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Related Resources

• Ask AI Overview — Complete guide to the Ask AI assistant
• AI Settings — Configure AI features for your organization
• Basic Navigation — Finding your way around the platform

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Voice Mode — Your AI assistant, now with a voice. Speak naturally, work efficiently.