Traditional business phone systems (PBX or VoIP) provide the infrastructure for making and receiving calls but rely on humans or simple automated menus to manage the content of those calls. An AI phone system adds an intelligence layer that understands what callers want and responds accordingly.
What an AI Phone System Does
- Answers calls in natural, conversational language
- Understands caller intent without requiring menu selections
- Books appointments, answers questions, and takes messages
- Routes calls based on content and urgency
- Replaces voicemail with structured call summaries
- Handles unlimited simultaneous calls
AI Phone System vs VoIP
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology for making calls over the internet rather than traditional phone lines. VoIP systems can be cheaper than traditional PBX systems but still require human staff or basic IVR menus to manage calls.
An AI phone system can run alongside your existing VoIP system, adding AI call handling without replacing your phone infrastructure. Calls come in through your existing number and route to the AI layer for handling.
AI Phone System vs IVR
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems present callers with menus ("Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support...") and route based on key presses or basic voice commands. AI phone systems conduct natural conversations and do not require callers to navigate menus. The caller experience is fundamentally different.