Models & Labs
Block launches Dessa, a speech-to-speech AI model
The Verge AIhigh confidence
Why it matters
- →Dessa challenges the dominant text-centric paradigm by training directly on audio data.
- →Local deployment on consumer hardware like M4 Max Macs reduces latency and privacy concerns.
- →The focus on emotional detection addresses critical safety gaps in current voice AI systems.
Block, Jack Dorsey’s fintech company, has released Dessa, an AI model trained exclusively on human speech data rather than text transcripts. The system operates as a true speech-to-speech engine, designed to preserve natural timing and emotional nuance often lost in traditional text-to-speech pipelines. Block claims the model can run locally on devices like the MacBook Pro M4 Max, emphasizing privacy and accessibility. Early access is being granted to a small group of AI safety researchers to evaluate how well the model detects emotional context.
Read originalThe story around this
Earlier coverage that leads up to this article, and what followed. Lines connect each piece to the closest one after it, converging here.
How we got here
- 1Hugging Face and Cerebras Launch Real-Time Voice AI
Hugging Face Blog · July 1, 2026 · Background
- 2OpenAI Unveils New Voice Models for ChatGPT
TechCrunch AI · July 8, 2026 · Background
- 3Hugging Face Launches Real World VoiceEQ Benchmark
Hugging Face Blog · July 15, 2026 · Background
- 4Smallest.ai raises $13M for human-like voice AI
TechCrunch AI · July 31, 2026 · Background
- 5Qwen3.8-27B Model Explored and Optimized
Sam Witteveen · August 18, 2026 · Background
- 6Relay Debuts AI-Powered Voice-to-Text Microphone
WIRED AI · August 27, 2026 · Background
- 7BreezeTTS2: Real-time local voice synthesis
Sam Witteveen · August 31, 2026 · Background
- 8Russian Startup Enables AI Models to Communicate Silently
WIRED AI · September 2, 2026 · Background
What happened next
- 9Ollama adds local TTS with Phonon and MLX acceleration
Ollama Blog · October 24, 2026 · Background
- 10llama.cpp adds Soprano TTS support
llama.cpp Releases · October 24, 2026 · Background
Follow this story
Open the full story →Block launches Dessa, a speech-to-speech AI model
2 developments
- Oct 23 · The Verge AI
Block launches Dessa, a speech-to-speech AI model (This article) - Oct 24 · TechCrunch AI
Block releases Dessa, a local full-duplex voice model
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