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DessaGuide

Independent guide. Not affiliated with Block.

Dessa Voice AI Demos

Start with the recordings published by Block. Each entry below explains the setting and suggests what to listen for.

Where these recordings come from

Block’s Dessa page features six recordings. Block describes each one as a live recording of someone talking to Dessa, says nobody steers the model, and notes that subtitles were added afterwards. Block’s player marks notable moments in each recording; we list those labels below so you can jump to them. We link to Block rather than re-hosting the audio.

Where to start: if you only have five minutes, play Talking about the release for timing and laughter, thenExpressive conversation for range. If you’re interested in turn-taking, add Remembering a movie.

Source: Recordings on Block’s Dessa page. Checked .

  1. Recording 12:52Block labels: explicit languageStart here

    Talking about the release

    A person chats with Dessa about the model’s release. Block highlights two things: Dessa laughs mid-sentence when something is funny, and it gets louder when asked to speak up.

    Listen for

    • Where the laughter lands: during the other person’s sentence, or only after they finish?
    • The moment Block labels “Speaking louder”: does the change in volume sound natural to you?

    Moments marked by Block: Laugh · Blown away · All the secrets · Speaking louder

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page
  2. Recording 22:39Block labels: explicit languageStart here

    Remembering a movie

    The person can’t recall a movie title and Dessa completes the sentence for them. Block also points out how much the model knows, given that everything it learned came from audio.

    Listen for

    • How Dessa takes the turn when the other speaker trails off.
    • The “Steering the chat” marker: who moves the conversation forward, and how?

    Moments marked by Block: Remembering · Taking a turn · Steering the chat · Laugh

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page
  3. Recording 33:03Start here

    Expressive conversation

    Block presents this one as a showcase of range: intonation and speaking speed both vary widely.

    Listen for

    • Changes in pace between the “Joke & laugh” and “Talking stress” moments.
    • The “Finishing words” marker, where the two speakers’ turns meet.

    Moments marked by Block: Finishing words · Joke & laugh · Coffee addict · Talking stress

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page
  4. Recording 41:52

    An anniversary surprise

    A surprise is revealed during the conversation. Block describes Dessa reacting with a quiet “oh my god” and then answering in what sounds like emotional gratitude.

    Listen for

    • The quiet reaction Block labels “Gasp” and “quiet OMG”: is it timed like a human reaction?

    Moments marked by Block: Excitement · Gasp · quiet “OMG”

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page
  5. Recording 54:57

    Life advice

    A longer, more personal conversation. Block says Dessa sounds empathetic here.

    Listen for

    • How Dessa’s tone shifts around the “Scary right now” and “Regret” moments.
    • Whether short responses keep the conversation going while the other person talks.

    Moments marked by Block: Empathy · Scary right now · Regret · Younger self · Live your life

    Sounding empathetic is a property of the voice. It doesn’t show that a model reliably understands how someone feels.

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page
  6. Recording 62:25

    Dessa in conversation with GPT-Live-1

    Dessa talks with a third-party AI voice model. Block notes that both voices are AI-generated and that the other model’s developer is not affiliated with Block and has not reviewed or endorsed Dessa.

    Listen for

    • The “Interruption” and “Fast backchanneling” moments: how do the two systems handle overlapping speech?

    Moments marked by Block: GPT-Live-1 · Interruption · Patience · Fast backchanneling

    Listen on Block’s website ↗Source: Block’s Dessa page

Block says more recordings will be shared on X. Durations were read from Block’s player on the date shown above.

How to read these demos

These are examples Block chose to publish. They are useful for hearing what the model can do in a good moment: timing, laughter, interruptions, tone. They can’t tell you how Dessa behaves across many conversations, in noisy rooms, with different accents, or in your own use case. That takes hands-on testing, which isn’t publicly possible yet.

Want to know when that changes? Check the current access status, or see voice AI you can try today.

Our voice game, not a Dessa demo

Ready for a conversation with a goal?

Try our two-minute persuasion challenge. Your opponent is a dragon with a very strong commitment to doing nothing today.

Play the voice challenge

Made by DessaGuide. It runs on a different voice AI and does not use Dessa.

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