Configure AI Call Transcription with ElevenLabs Service

Cloud Voice can transcribe the audio of a two-party call into readable text in real time using the ElevenLabs Speech to Text service. This page walks you through pointing the phone system at ElevenLabs and, if you want automatic post-call summaries, at a GPT or Gemini large language model (LLM) as well.

Tip

If you have already set up AI Voicemail Transcription against ElevenLabs Speech to Text, turn on Call Transcription and click Copy Settings from Voicemail Transcription to bring that configuration across. From there you only need to adjust whatever differs.

Requirements

Your phone system must meet the following before you begin.

Item	Requirement
Firmware	84.23.0.83 or later.
Subscription	An Enterprise Plan or Ultimate Plan subscription, so the AI Transcription feature is available.

Before you begin

Note

The GPT / Gemini LLM prerequisites below only apply if you want the phone system to automatically generate a call summary from the transcribed text once a call ends. Skip them if you only need the transcript.

Network access

The phone system needs to reach the domains for the services you plan to use. You can confirm a domain is reachable from Maintenance > Troubleshooting > IP Ping.

Service	Domain
ElevenLabs Speech to Text	api.elevenlabs.io
GPT LLM	api.openai.com
Gemini LLM	oauth2.googleapis.com and generativelanguage.googleapis.com

Caution

If a firewall or upstream network blocks any of these domains, the matching connection status in Step 3 will not reach Enable, and transcription (or LLM summaries) will not work. Confirm each domain you need is reachable before you continue.

Service accounts

Have the relevant third-party accounts and their sign-in credentials ready.

Service	Account
ElevenLabs Speech to Text	An ElevenLabs account with enough transcription-minute quota, plus its username and password.
GPT / Gemini LLM	An OpenAI account (for GPT) or a Google account (for Gemini) with enough token quota, plus its username and password.

Step 1. Create an ElevenLabs API key

The phone system authenticates to the ElevenLabs Speech to Text service with an API (application programming interface) key, so generate one on the ElevenLabs platform first.

Caution

An API key is a secret credential tied to a billable account, so treat it like a password: store it somewhere secure and never share it or post it publicly. Copy each key the moment it is generated, because some provider portals show the full key only once and you would have to create a new one if you lose it. This applies to every key you create in Step 1 and Step 2.

1. Sign in to the ElevenLabs Platform with your ElevenLabs username and password, then open Developers > API Keys.

   

2. At the top right of the key list, click Create Key.

3. Fill in the new key in the right sidebar.

   

   a. In Name, enter something that identifies the key.

   b. Under Endpoints, click Access next to Speech to text.

   c. Under Administration (scroll down to find it), click Access next to Models.

   d. Click Create Key at the bottom right. The generated key appears in a pop-up window.

   

   e. Click Copy to Clipboard and save the key somewhere safe for later.

Step 2. (Optional) Create a GPT or Gemini API key

To have Cloud Voice call a GPT or Gemini LLM and produce a summary from each transcript after a call ends, create an API key for that provider so the requests can be authenticated. Follow the section that matches your LLM.

OpenAI (GPT)

1. Sign in to the OpenAI Platform with your OpenAI username and password, then open API Keys.

2. At the top right of the key list, click Create new secret key.

3. Fill in the new key in the pop-up window.

   

   a. In Name, enter something that identifies the key.

   b. In the Project drop-down list, choose the project you want.

   c. Leave the permission set to the default All, then click Create secret key. The generated key appears in a pop-up window.

   

   d. Click Copy and save the key for later.

Google (Gemini)

1. Sign in to Google AI Studio with your Google username and password, then open Dashboard > API keys.

2. At the top right of the key list, click Create API key.

3. Fill in the new key in the pop-up window.

   

   a. In Name your key, enter something that identifies the key.

   b. In the Choose an imported project drop-down list, select the project you want.

   Note

   From this list you can pick an existing project, import one, or create a new project as needed.

   c. Click Create key. The details of the generated key appear in a pop-up window.

   

   d. Click Copy key and save the key for later.

Step 3. Configure call transcription on the phone system

With your ElevenLabs (and optional LLM) credentials in hand, enter them on the phone system to link it to the services.

1. Sign in to the phone system web portal and open AI > AI Toolbox.

2. Turn on the Call Transcription switch.

3. Set up the transcription service.

   

   a. In the Service Type drop-down list, select Custom Service.

   b. In the Transcription Service Provider drop-down list, select Elevenlabs.

   c. In the API key field, paste the key you created on the ElevenLabs platform.

   d. Set up the LLM service using whichever of the following applies:

   • No summaries: In the LLM Provider drop-down list, select Disable.

   • GPT: Complete these settings:

     

     1. In the LLM Provider drop-down list, select OpenAI.

     2. In the API key field, paste the key you created on the OpenAI platform.

     3. In the GPT Model field, enter the model ID of the GPT model you want.

        Note

        Check the list of GPT models for the ID you need. For example, to use GPT-5.4, enter gpt-5.4.

   • Gemini: Complete these settings:

     

     1. In the LLM Provider drop-down list, select Google.

     2. In the API key field, paste the key you created in Google AI Studio.

     3. In the Gemini Model field, enter the model code of the Gemini model you want.

        Note

        Check the list of Gemini models and open a model’s page to find its code. For example, to use Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, enter gemini-3.1-pro-preview.

4. In the Language drop-down list, choose the language to detect and transcribe from call audio.

   Note

   Choose Auto Detection and each audio segment of a mixed-language call is transcribed in its own language.

5. Under Extension Scope for This Feature, decide which extensions, extension groups, or departments can use call transcription:

   • All Extensions: Everyone can use the feature.
   • Specific Extensions: Only the extensions you select can use it.

6. Click Save.

Result

• Transcription Connection Status shows Enable, confirming that AI call transcription via ElevenLabs Speech to Text is live. Call audio is now detected and transcribed into text in your chosen language as calls happen.

  

  Note

  You can set the transcription language and mode (automatic or manual) per extension from Extension and Trunk > Extension > AI > Call Transcription. See Configure AI Call Transcription for an Extension for details.

• LLM Connection Status shows Enable, confirming that the phone system is connected to your chosen LLM. It will now generate a summary from each transcript automatically after a call ends.