Imagine learning chess from a grand master, or negotiating tactics from an expert FBI hostage negotiator. ElevenLabs’ voice AI technology is making that unlock possible. Sarah Guo sits down with Mati Staniszewski, co-founder of ElevenLabs, to explore how the three-year old company is transforming how humans interact with technology through voice. Mati talks about the technical challenges of building foundational audio models, the strategic thinking between conducting research and deploying products in tandem, and why voice is the ultimate interface for everything from computers to robots to immersive media. They also discuss how the coming revolution of AI personal tutors will shift agentic AI from reactive to proactive support, break down language barriers globally, and even provide the framework for agentic government services.

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Chapters:

00:00 – Mati Staniszewski Introduction

00:46 – 11 Labs: Growth and Scale

02:46 – Voice Technology and Applications

06:52 – Research and Product Development

12:36 – Voice Quality and Customer Preferences

17:54 – Agent Platform and Use Cases

23:21 – Choosing the Right Technology Partner

26:43 – The Role of Foundation Models

29:58 – Open Source Models and Future Trends

32:37 – Research and Development Focus

36:53 – Future of AI Companions and Education

41:37 – Conclusion