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Glossary

A comprehensive dictionary of terms used in the Hanc.AI platform and the broader AI/voice technology landscape.

A​

Action​

A specific capability or function that an agent can perform. Actions include things like booking appointments, transferring calls, or sending notifications.

Agent​

A configured AI voice assistant on the Hanc.AI platform. Each agent has its own prompt, knowledge base, voice settings, and behavior configuration.

API (Application Programming Interface)​

A way for different software systems to communicate with each other. Hanc.AI provides APIs for integrating with external systems.

API Key​

A unique identifier used to authenticate requests to an API. You can generate API keys in Hanc.AI to connect external applications.

ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition)​

See Speech-to-Text (STT).

Audio Stream​

A continuous flow of audio data during a call. The platform processes audio streams in real-time for speech recognition and playback.

B​

Bot​

Short for "robot" — an automated software program. A voice bot is an AI that handles phone conversations.

Business Hours​

The operating hours of your business. Agents can use this information to inform callers and handle after-hours calls appropriately.

C​

Cal.com​

A scheduling platform used by Hanc.AI for the Book Appointment tool. Agents can check availability and create bookings via Cal.com API.

Call Flow​

The sequence of events that occur during a phone call with an agent, from greeting to conclusion.

Call Log​

A record of a phone conversation including metadata (duration, time, caller ID), transcript, and optionally the audio recording.

Caller ID​

The phone number of the person calling. This information can be captured and used for personalization or CRM integration.

Channel​

The medium through which communication occurs. Hanc.AI supports phone calls and web-based voice widgets.

Chunk​

A segment of text from a document in the knowledge base. Documents are split into chunks for efficient retrieval.

Conversational AI​

AI technology that enables natural spoken dialogue between humans and machines. The core technology powering Hanc.AI voice agents.

Credit​

The billing unit on the Hanc.AI platform. Each plan includes monthly credits; all usage (calls, phone numbers) is deducted from your credit balance. Unused credits roll over between billing periods.

Custom Domain​

An Agency plan feature that allows you to use your own domain name for the help portal or documentation, instead of the default Hanc.AI domain.

Context​

The information available to the AI when generating a response, including the conversation history, prompt, and knowledge base results.

Context Window​

The maximum amount of text an LLM can process at once. Larger context windows allow for longer conversations and more reference material.

Conversation History​

The record of messages exchanged between the caller and agent during a session. Used to maintain context throughout the call.

D​

Dashboard​

The main interface of the Hanc.AI platform where you can view metrics, manage agents, and access all features.

Deep Learning​

A subset of machine learning using neural networks with many layers. The technology behind modern LLMs.

Duplicate Agent​

A feature that allows you to clone an existing agent with all its settings, prompt, and configuration. Useful for creating variations or testing changes without affecting the original.

E​

Embedding​

A numerical representation of text that captures its meaning. Used in RAG systems to find semantically similar content.

Escalation​

The process of transferring a call from the AI agent to a human operator. Configured through escalation triggers.

Escalation Trigger​

A condition that causes the agent to transfer the call to a human. Examples: customer anger, complex questions, explicit request.

F​

Fallback​

The default action when the agent cannot fulfill a request. Typically involves apologizing and offering alternatives.

Fallback Contact​

The person or department to whom calls are transferred when the agent cannot help.

Few-Shot Learning​

A technique where AI learns from a small number of examples provided in the prompt.

Fine-Tuning​

The process of further training an AI model on specific data to improve performance for particular tasks.

First Message​

The initial greeting that the agent speaks when answering a call or starting a conversation.

G​

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)​

EU regulation governing data protection and privacy. Hanc.AI is fully GDPR-compliant with EU data storage.

Greeting​

See First Message.

H​

Hallucination​

When an AI generates information that is not true or not present in its training data or knowledge base. A critical issue that RAG helps mitigate.

Human-in-the-Loop​

A system design where humans can intervene or oversee AI decisions. Escalation to human operators is an example.

I​

Inbound Call​

A call initiated by a customer to your business phone number.

Integration​

A connection between Hanc.AI and an external service (Twilio, Google Calendar, CRM systems).

Intent​

The goal or purpose behind a user's message. For example, "I want to book an appointment" has a booking intent.

K​

Knowledge Base (KB)​

A collection of documents containing business information that the AI uses to answer questions accurately.

Knowledge Retrieval​

The process of finding relevant information from the knowledge base to answer a question. See RAG.

L​

Latency​

The delay between an action and its response. In voice AI, latency affects how natural conversations feel.

LiveKit​

A WebRTC platform used by Hanc.AI for real-time voice communication in web widgets.

LLM (Large Language Model)​

An AI model trained on vast amounts of text data, capable of understanding and generating human-like language. Hanc.AI uses advanced LLMs to power voice conversations.

M​

Model​

See LLM. The AI engine that powers your voice agent's understanding and responses.

Multi-Language Support​

The ability to operate in multiple languages. Hanc.AI supports numerous languages for both speech recognition and synthesis.

N​

Natural Language Processing (NLP)​

The field of AI focused on enabling computers to understand and generate human language.

Natural Language Understanding (NLU)​

A subset of NLP focused specifically on comprehending the meaning and intent of text or speech.

O​

Outbound Call​

A call initiated by your business (or AI agent) to a customer. Available on all plans including Free.

Orb​

The animated visual element displayed in Hanc.AI widgets, showing call status and audio activity.

P​

Parameter​

A configuration setting that affects how an LLM generates responses. Examples: temperature, max tokens.

Phone Number​

A telephone number (PSTN) connected to your Hanc.AI account for receiving and making calls.

Pipeline​

A sequence of processing steps. The voice agent pipeline includes STT → LLM → TTS.

Prompt​

Instructions given to an AI that define its behavior, personality, and constraints. The "programming" of your voice agent.

Prompt Engineering​

The practice of crafting effective prompts to achieve desired AI behavior.

Provider​

A service that provides AI capabilities. Hanc.AI uses advanced AI providers to power voice conversations.

R​

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)​

A technique that enhances AI responses by retrieving relevant information from a knowledge base before generating a response.

Real-Time Processing​

Processing that occurs immediately, without noticeable delay. Essential for natural voice conversations.

Recording​

An audio file capturing a phone conversation. Call recording can be enabled per agent in the Settings tab. Check local laws regarding recording consent.

Retrieval Variable​

A custom data field that the AI automatically extracts from conversations. Types include Text, Number, Boolean, and Selector. Used in post-call actions (email, SMS, WhatsApp, API calls).

S​

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)​

A communication protocol for initiating, maintaining, and terminating voice calls over the internet. SIP trunks connect existing phone infrastructure (PBX systems) to Hanc.AI. Available on all plans.

SIP Trunk​

A virtual phone line that uses SIP to connect your existing telephony system to Hanc.AI, as an alternative to Twilio.

Sub-account​

A separate workspace managed by an agency. Each sub-account is isolated and represents one client. Available only on the Agency plan.

Sentiment​

The emotional tone of a message (positive, negative, neutral). Used in analytics to assess customer satisfaction.

Session​

A single conversation between a caller and an agent, from start to finish.

Speech-to-Text (STT)​

Technology that converts spoken audio into written text. Also called ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition).

Streaming​

Continuous data transmission, as opposed to batch processing. Voice calls use streaming for real-time interaction.

System Prompt​

The foundational instructions that define an agent's role and behavior. Also called "system message" or "base prompt."

T​

Temperature​

An LLM parameter controlling response randomness. Lower = more deterministic, higher = more creative/varied.

Text-to-Speech (TTS)​

Technology that converts written text into spoken audio. Creates the agent's voice.

Token​

A unit of text processed by an LLM. Roughly equivalent to a word or word fragment. Used for billing and context limits.

Tool​

A capability given to an agent to perform specific actions, such as accessing a calendar, making API calls, or transferring calls.

Transcript​

A written record of everything said during a call.

Transfer​

See Escalation.

Twilio​

A cloud communications platform that provides phone numbers and telephony services. The primary phone provider for Hanc.AI.

U​

Utterance​

A single spoken statement or question from a speaker in a conversation.

V​

Vector Database​

A database optimized for storing and searching embeddings. Used in RAG systems for semantic search.

Voice Agent​

An AI assistant that communicates through spoken conversation. The core product of Hanc.AI.

Voice Widget​

A web-based interface that allows website visitors to speak with an AI agent through their browser.

W​

Webhook​

An HTTP callback that sends data to an external URL when specific events occur. Used for integrations.

WhatsApp Action​

A post-call action that sends a WhatsApp message to specified recipients with conversation data and retrieval variables.

WebRTC​

Web Real-Time Communication — a technology enabling real-time audio/video communication in web browsers.

Widget​

A small application component that can be embedded in a website. Hanc.AI provides voice widgets.

White-Label​

A branding option that removes Hanc.AI branding and allows agencies to present the platform under their own brand. Coming soon for Agency and Enterprise plans.

Workspace​

An organizational container in Hanc.AI that groups agents, knowledge bases, and team members. Usually represents one business or project.

Z​

Zero-Shot Learning​

An AI's ability to perform tasks without specific examples, based only on instruction descriptions.

Acronym Reference​

AcronymFull Form
AIArtificial Intelligence
APIApplication Programming Interface
ASRAutomatic Speech Recognition
GDPRGeneral Data Protection Regulation
KBKnowledge Base
LLMLarge Language Model
NLPNatural Language Processing
NLUNatural Language Understanding
PBXPrivate Branch Exchange
RAGRetrieval-Augmented Generation
SIPSession Initiation Protocol
STTSpeech-to-Text
TTSText-to-Speech
WebRTCWeb Real-Time Communication

Need a Term Added?​

If you encounter a term that's not in this glossary, please contact support@hanc.ai and we'll add it.