The AI phonetic spelling generator helps you create a pronunciation guide for words your agent may not say correctly on its own. It is especially useful for names, dishes, specialist services, local places, and brand terms.
Where to use it
Go to AI Agent → Voice & Languages → Pronunciations.
In Add New Pronunciation, enter the word or phrase in Word/Phrase, then select the sparkle button beside the fields. Speako generates a suggested spelling in Say This Instead.
You can also generate a new spelling while editing an existing pronunciation rule.
What happens after generating
If Speako successfully creates a spelling, it fills the pronunciation field and shows Phonetic spelling generated successfully!
If the word field is empty, Speako asks you to enter a word or phrase first. If generation fails, Speako shows an error so you know the spelling was not created.
Generated spelling is only a starting point. You can edit it before adding or saving the rule.
Preview the result
After adding or editing a pronunciation rule, use the preview control to hear how it sounds in your currently selected voice. If it still sounds wrong, adjust the spelling and preview again.
💡 Tip: Try writing the pronunciation the way you would explain it to a staff member. For example, use hyphens to separate syllables and capital letters to show emphasis:
tuh-MAH-to,mee-so, orSAY-ko.
When to use your own spelling instead
The generated spelling is helpful, but it may not always match how your business says a word locally. If the suggestion sounds unnatural, replace it with your own version.
This is especially useful for:
- family names or staff names
- words borrowed from another language
- suburbs or neighbourhood names
- menu items with a house pronunciation
- brand names that are intentionally stylised
The goal is not a perfect dictionary pronunciation. The goal is for customers to hear the word the way your business expects it to be said.
Save to apply
Generating a spelling does not apply it by itself. Add the rule, then select Save Changes in the bottom banner. Until you save, the live agent will continue using the previously saved pronunciation list.