Krisp, an innovative audio technology startup, has unveiled its latest feature: AI Accent Conversion. This cutting-edge tool utilizes artificial intelligence to modify a speaker’s accent during live conversations, initially focusing on converting Indian English accents to American English. Integrated into it’s existing desktop application, this feature aims to enhance communication clarity in virtual meetings and calls. ​

The AI Accent Conversion process preserves the speaker’s natural voice while adjusting specific phonetic elements to align with American pronunciation patterns. This ensures that the speaker’s unique vocal characteristics remain intact, providing a seamless and authentic communication experience. The feature is currently in its beta phase and is accessible through the Krisp desktop app, allowing users to activate it before or during calls. ​

Arto Minasyan, co-founder and president of Krisp, shared that the inspiration for this feature arose from personal challenges in being understood due to his accent. He noted, “As someone with an accent, I’ve often noticed that people struggle to understand me, even when my English is fluent. This isn’t about bias—it’s simply a reality of communication. In fast-paced meetings, even small misunderstandings can slow down decisions, cause repetition, and reduce overall efficiency.” ​

Early demonstrations of the AI Accent Conversion feature have shown promising results, with the tool effectively modifying accents to sound more American. However, some users have observed that the processed voice may occasionally sound slightly robotic. The toolacknowledges these initial limitations and is committed to refining the technology to enhance its naturalness and accuracy. ​

In enterprise trials, it reported notable improvements in communication outcomes. Specifically, sales conversion rates increased by 26.1%, and revenue per booking saw a 14.8% rise. These figures suggest that accent modification can significantly enhance mutual understanding and effectiveness in professional interactions. ​

The decision to prioritize Indian English accents stems from the substantial representation of Indian professionals in global STEM fields. It plans to expand support to additional accents, including Filipino, to cater to a broader user base.

The AI Accent Conversion feature is designed to integrate seamlessly with popular video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google … . The technology operates with a latency of approximately 200 milliseconds, which is virtually imperceptible, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted conversations. ​

The company has trained its AI models on thousands of speech samples encompassing various accents and dialects. This extensive dataset enables the system to perform accurate and contextually appropriate accent conversions. Importantly, the feature does not require pre-training on individual users’ voices, as it dynamically creates a speaker profile in real-time. ​

Looking ahead, it intends to broaden its offerings by releasing iOS and Android applications within the year to support in-person meetings. Additionally, a new Chrome extension is in development to enhance integration with Google Meet, further expanding the accessibility and utility of their AI-driven communication tools. ​

The introduction of AI Accent Conversion represents a significant advancement in bridging communication gaps caused by accent differences. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Krisp aims to foster clearer and more effective interactions in both professional and personal settings, ultimately contributing to more inclusive and efficient communication across diverse linguistic backgrounds.

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