Glossary
What is Interactive voice response (IVR)?
Interactive voice response (IVR) is the traditional automated phone menu: 'press 1 for scheduling, press 2 for billing.' It routes callers using fixed keypad or keyword options, but it cannot hold a real conversation or complete a task on its own.
By Alex Le, Echo product teamUpdated July 2026
AI calling is the successor to IVR. Instead of forcing the caller through a rigid menu, an AI voice agent lets them say what they need in their own words and then handles it end to end. Practices often replace or sit AI calling in front of an aging IVR.
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