phone-caller

Make AI-powered outbound calls via Twilio, voiced by ElevenLabs, with optional live GPT-powered conversation.

Two Modes

Mode 1: One-way message — Generate audio with ElevenLabs, upload it, play it on a Twilio call. Simple, fast, no server needed.

Mode 2: Interactive conversation — Start server.py, call with a webhook URL. The AI listens to responses (Twilio STT), thinks (GPT), and speaks back (ElevenLabs) in real-time. Ends with auto-summary sent via iMessage.

Required Credentials (env vars)

ELEVENLABS_API_KEY   # from elevenlabs.io
TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID   # from console.twilio.com (starts with AC...)
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN    # from console.twilio.com
TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER  # your Twilio number e.g. +12025551234
OPENAI_API_KEY       # for interactive mode brain

Mode 1: One-way Call

python3 scripts/one_way_call.py \
  --to "+13105551234" \
  --text "Hey! Just calling to say good morning." \
  --voice "tyepWYJJwJM9TTFIg5U7"   # optional, defaults to Clara (Australian female)

See references/voices.md for curated voice IDs.

Mode 2: Interactive Conversation

Step 1 — Start a tunnel (needed so Twilio can reach your server)

npx localtunnel --port 5050 --subdomain my-caller
# Note the URL: https://my-caller.loca.lt

Step 2 — Start the server

export CLARA_PUBLIC_URL="https://my-caller.loca.lt"
python3 scripts/server.py

Step 3 — Make the call

python3 scripts/interactive_call.py \
  --to "+13105551234" \
  --url "https://my-caller.loca.lt" \
  --persona "You are calling a restaurant to book a table for 2 at 8pm tonight." \
  --opening "Hi! I'd like to make a reservation for two people this evening around 8pm. Do you have availability?"

When the call ends, a GPT-generated summary is automatically sent via iMessage to MASTER_PHONE env var.

Scheduling a Call

Use macOS cron for timed calls:

# Add to crontab — this example calls at 8:45 AM
crontab -e
45 8 24 2 * python3 /path/to/scripts/one_way_call.py --to "+1..." --text "Good morning!" >> /tmp/call.log 2>&1

Voice Selection

• Default: Clara tyepWYJJwJM9TTFIg5U7 — Australian female, warm, clear, professional
• See references/voices.md for full curated list with IDs and descriptions

Key Notes

• Twilio trial accounts: Can only call verified numbers. Upgrade or verify numbers at console.twilio.com → Verified Caller IDs
• Audio hosting: Scripts use tmpfiles.org for one-off calls (60 min TTL). For scheduled calls, server.py serves audio at /audio/ via the tunnel
• localtunnel: Free, no account needed. ngrok requires a free account + authtoken
• Interactive mode latency: ~3-5s per turn (ElevenLabs TTS + GPT + audio upload). Normal for phone conversations