Corroborated event · 3 outlets
Block introduced Dessa, a speech model trained on human speech that processes audio directly and is designed to recognize emotions, sarcasm and pauses in real time.
AI brief
Block introduced Dessa, a speech model that processes audio directly instead of converting it to text first, and is designed to recognize emotions, sarcasm and pauses in real time. The model runs locally on a Mac.
Written by AI from The Decoder's published text.
More coverage of this story (2)
Block introduces Dessa AI voice model
Block’s new voice model sounds eerily human
TechCrunch AI · 24 Oct 2026, 16:00
Jack Dorsey’s Block made an AI model that talks to you like an awkward new friend
The Verge AI · 23 Oct 2026, 19:32
Primary source
“Block, the company behind Square and Cash App, has introduced Dessa, a speech model that processes audio directly instead of converting it to text first. Dessa is designed to recognize emotions, sarcasm, and pauses in real time.”
Reporting from a publisher outside the organisation being covered.
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