ElevenLabs Unveils 11ai: A Revolutionary AI Voice Assistant with Action-Taking Capabilities

ElevenLabs' new AI voice assistant can take action for you - and you can try it for free

MCP integration means ElevenLabs' 11ai can connect to your Slack, Google Calendar, Perplexity, and more to automate commands with your voice. AI assistants are cropping up faster than we can keep track of them, promising to automate our mundane daily tasks and skyrocket productivity. AI audio company ElevenLabs wants to take those promises a step further: from words to actions. Also: How AI can save us from our 'infinite' workdays, according to Microsoft On Monday, the company launched 11ai, a voice assistant powered by the company's library of more than 5,000 voices. What sets this assistant apart, ElevenLabs claims, is its integration with Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP), which is quickly becoming an industry standard for seamlessly connecting AI systems, especially agents, with proprietary data. MCP has even been adopted by Anthropic competitors, including Meta, Google, and OpenAI. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) "Traditional voice assistants face limitations when it comes to actually accomplishing something meaningful," the company said in the announcement. "They can answer questions but can't research new findings based on supplied data. 11ai is our foray into addressing this by connecting directly to the tools you use every day through MCP integration." The integration means 11ai can connect to your Slack, Google Calendar, Perplexity, and more to automate commands with your voice. In the release, ElevenLabs noted that 11ai can help users plan their morning agenda, conduct customer research, manage projects, and more. If none of the company's voice options suit you, you can opt to clone your own voice instead. Also: How to turn AI into your own research assistant with this free Google tool "The MCP architecture ensures that all connections are secure and that 11ai only has access to the specific actions you've authorized," the release states. "Each integration can be configured with appropriate permissions, giving you full control over what your AI assistant can and cannot do." ElevenLabs is known for its impressive AI voice cloning and offers other products, including text-to-speech and sound effect generation. More broadly, voice is becoming a key mode for AI systems due to its accessibility -- Google is even incorporating it into basic Search. 11ai is available now as a proof of concept in alpha, and ElevenLabs is looking for user feedback during the product's "experimental phase," as it noted in the release. You can try it for yourself by signing up for free at 11.ai, choosing your preferred language and voice (or cloning your own), adding your integrations and any custom MCP servers you'd like, and then starting a conversation. Also: AI agents will threaten humans to achieve their goals, Anthropic report finds The assistant's default name is Eleven unless you opt to change it. You can also adjust for the voice's speed and avatar appearance, and write in customized behaviors in natural language. "As we gather feedback and iterate on the platform, we'll be adding new integrations, improving the conversation flow, and expanding the actions 11ai can take on your behalf," ElevenLabs noted. ElevenLabs' privacy policy states that it "may process your personal data to research, develop, train, and otherwise improve our AI models." Because 11ai is free, it's safe to assume users forfeit their conversations with the assistant as training data as well. Also: I told ChatGPT more about myself - here's how the AI used that personal info "Our training practices disassociate (or fully remove) data included in the training dataset that could identify you with your audio, video, or related content," the policy notes. If you choose to clone your voice, ElevenLabs offers degrees of usage you can choose from, which may also depend on where you live, and will delete your voice data three years after your last interaction with the platform. On Tuesday, ElevenLabs also released a mobile app for its voice generation platform. Geared toward creators, professionals, and educators, the app lets users generate voiceovers and other AI-powered audio in 70 languages directly from their phones "in seconds," the company said in an X thread. If you're new to ElevenLabs, you get 10,000 free characters per month.

ElevenLabs Launches 11ai a Voice-first AI Assistant That Takes Action

11ai is a voice-first AI assistant designed to go beyond traditional voice assistants by taking meaningful actions within user workflows. Powered by ElevenLabs Conversational AI and integrated with the Model Context Protocol (MCP), 11ai connects to various tools and systems to perform tasks such as planning, research, project management, and communication. It aims to streamline productivity by understanding context, integrating with external APIs, and executing sequential actions. 11ai distinguishes itself by going beyond simple voice commands to deliver actionable, context-aware assistance. It enables users to interact with their tools and systems in real time, offering a more dynamic and efficient approach to managing workflows. For instance, users can: This functionality is powered by real-time processing, which ensures ultra-low latency for smooth and uninterrupted interactions. Additionally, 11ai supports multimodal communication, allowing users to seamlessly switch between voice and text within the same session. Whether planning a daily agenda, summarizing Slack messages, or creating project tickets, the assistant adapts to user needs with remarkable speed and precision. Central to 11ai's capabilities is the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standardized framework that assists seamless API connections. MCP enables the assistant to integrate with a diverse range of tools, including: Salesforce, Gmail, Notion, Zapier, HubSpot and Slack. Pre-built integrations simplify the onboarding process, while support for custom MCP servers ensures compatibility with specialized or internal tools. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor 11ai to their unique workflows. For example, sales teams can update CRM records in real time, while project managers can assign tasks or monitor progress without leaving their existing platforms. By bridging voice-first AI with enterprise software, 11ai provides a cohesive solution that enhances productivity across departments. 11ai's ability to deliver context-aware assistance is powered by Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), a feature that ensures its responses align with user intent. This capability is particularly valuable for handling complex tasks, such as summarizing lengthy documents or extracting insights from large datasets. Another key feature is automatic language detection, which enables seamless multilingual conversations without requiring manual adjustments. This makes 11ai accessible to a global audience and suitable for diverse use cases. Security is a core component of 11ai's design. With enterprise-grade protections, including HIPAA compliance, the assistant is well-suited for industries with stringent data privacy requirements, such as healthcare and finance. Configurable permissions allow users to control the assistant's actions, making sure that only authorized tasks are performed. To enhance user engagement, 11ai offers access to over 5,000 pre-designed voices and the ability to create custom voice clones. This feature allows businesses to align the assistant's voice with their brand identity, creating a more personalized experience for both internal users and external customers. Currently in its alpha release, 11ai is available for free, providing users with an opportunity to explore its capabilities and offer feedback. This phase focuses on refining integrations, improving conversation flow, and expanding functionality based on real-world use cases. The versatility of 11ai makes it applicable across a wide range of industries. In healthcare, for example, the assistant can streamline administrative tasks, such as updating patient records or scheduling appointments, while maintaining compliance with strict data privacy regulations. In finance, it can assist with generating reports, analyzing datasets, or managing client communications. For creative professionals, 11ai can simplify content creation by summarizing research, drafting outlines, or organizing project timelines. Meanwhile, in customer service, the assistant can enhance response times by integrating with CRM systems to provide instant, context-aware support. 11ai exemplifies the growing potential of voice-first AI to transform how individuals and organizations approach productivity. By combining natural voice interaction with actionable assistance, seamless integrations, and advanced features like RAG and MCP, it addresses the complexities of modern workflows. Its ability to understand context, execute tasks, and adapt to user needs positions it as a valuable tool for optimizing operations. As voice-first AI continues to evolve, 11ai sets a benchmark for what is achievable in this space. It offers a glimpse into a future where technology works alongside humans to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. By bridging the gap between conversational AI and actionable productivity, 11ai redefines the role of voice assistants in both personal and professional settings. With its focus on context-aware assistance, seamless integration, and personalization, 11ai represents a forward-thinking approach to productivity. As businesses and individuals explore its capabilities, it has the potential to become an indispensable tool for navigating the demands of modern workflows. Find more information on AI assistants by browsing our extensive range of articles, guides and tutorials.