Learned from human conversation
Block says Dessa was trained from scratch only on recorded human speech: no text and no pretrained models. Everything it knows came from listening.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with Block.
Dessa Voice AI
Discover Block’s voice research, hear the official recordings, and try a short conversation challenge of your own.
Current status
Listen now. Public access isn’t open yet.
- Available: official recordings of live conversations with Dessa, on Block’s page.
- Limited: early access for a small group of AI safety researchers, who can request it on Block’s page.
- Not announced: a public app, download file, developer API, pricing, or release date.
Source: Block’s official Dessa page. Checked .
What is Dessa Voice AI?
Dessa is a conversation model from a small AI research lab at Block, founded by former members of the Toronto deep-learning startup Dessa. Most voice assistants turn your speech into text, think in text, then read an answer aloud. Block says Dessa skips text entirely: audio in, audio out.
Timing, not just words
It is “full-duplex”: it can listen and talk at the same time. Block says it learned when to cut in and when to add short responses like “yeah” or “got it” while you keep talking.
Expressive voice
In the recordings, listen for laughter, pauses, and changes in tone. A voice that sounds emotional doesn’t prove a model reliably reads your emotions; that’s still a research question.
The descriptions above summarize Block’s own explanation. Our listening notes are on the demo guide.
Listen to the conversation
See the demo guide →Official recording · 2:52
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?
Official recording · 2:39
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.
Official recording · 3:03
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 Dragon’s Day Off · our voice game
Two minutes. One stubborn dragon. Can you change its mind?
The dragon is on holiday, and you need one slice of toast. Make your case, answer its objections, and see whether you can reach a deal before time runs out.
- About 2 minutes
- Voice conversation
- English
- No account required
- Up to 3 free challenges every 24 hours
Play The Dragon’s Day Off
An independent AI game by DessaGuide. Not a Dessa demo.
Find what you came for
Can I use Dessa yet?
Current access options and the official places to check.
What do the demos reveal?
A guided tour of Block’s recordings, with what to listen for.
What can I try today?
Voice AI you can talk to now, sorted by what you want to do.
What has changed?
Dated, sourced updates on Dessa and our challenges.
Quick answers
What is Dessa Voice AI?
Dessa is a speech-to-speech conversation model from a small AI research lab at Block. Block says it was trained only on recorded human conversation, with no text, and that it listens and talks at the same time, like a person on a phone call.
Is this the official Dessa website?
No. DessaGuide is an independent site and is not affiliated with Block. Block’s official page is block.xyz/dessa.
Can I try Dessa here?
No. As of October 26, 2026, Block has published recordings and offers early access only to a small group of AI safety researchers; there is no public way to talk to Dessa. Our voice challenge is a separate game run by DessaGuide and does not use Dessa. See the current access status.
What is The Dragon’s Day Off?
The Dragon’s Day Off is our voice game: you get two minutes to talk a dragon on holiday into toasting one slice of bread for you. Play it here.
Do I need an account to play?
No. Anyone can play up to 3 challenges every 24 hours without an account. You need a microphone and sound.
What will I receive if I subscribe?
You choose: Dessa release updates (verified news about public access, downloads, and other milestones), new voice challenge announcements, or both. You confirm by email first, and you can change topics or unsubscribe at any time.
Follow the next conversation
Choose what you want to hear about: Dessa availability updates, new voice challenges, or both.