# Block unveils Dessa, a speech-to-speech model trained only on human conversation

> Original title: Jack Dorsey’s Block made an AI model that talks to you like an awkward new friend

- Source: The Verge · AI
- Published: 2026-10-23T19:32:39.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/cdnq63hmt8mlmy03e611rqdf2
- Original: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1017906/jack-dorsey-block-dessa-ai-voice-speech

## Summary

Block has announced Dessa, a speech-to-speech AI model that it says was trained from scratch only on human conversation. Block shared sample chats that sometimes sound awkward, and the Dessa team says it can run locally on a MacBook Pro M4 Max or better. The team plans to give early access to a small group of AI safety researchers.