In this episode of The AI Advantage, host Solomon Williams sits down with Torrey Leonard, CEO and Founder of Thoughtly, to explore one of the fastest-growing frontiers in AI: voice automation.

As businesses race to automate sales, lead generation, and customer communication, voice AI is becoming far more sophisticated—and far more human-sounding. Torrey shares how Thoughtly evolved from experimenting with language models into building powerful voice agents that help businesses automate outreach, qualify leads, and streamline CRM workflows.

Together, Solomon and Torrey unpack the real opportunities and risks of voice AI: from improving operational efficiency to navigating ethical concerns, AI guardrails, and the growing challenge of the “uncanny valley.”

They also explore where infrastructure is heading, why some businesses are reconsidering cloud dependency, and what the future could look like as AI moves beyond software and into robotics.

If you’re a founder, sales leader, or operator curious about the future of business communication, this episode offers a practical look at what’s changing—and what to prepare for next.

Key Takeaways:

• How AI voice agents are changing lead generation
• The evolution from chatbots to voice automation
• How Thoughtly integrates AI into CRM workflows
• The ethics and guardrails businesses need
• The uncanny valley challenge in AI communication
• On-prem vs cloud infrastructure trends
• The future of AI voice and robotics

Key Moments:

04:43 Early AI implementation challenges

08:06 Empowering small businesses with tech

12:11 Discussing lead generation strategies

14:58 AI replacing low-skill jobs

19:27 Exploring AI and cloud strategies

23:08 Discussing vendor management and costs

25:09 Open-source AI and affordable chips

29:44 Importance of diversifying cloud platforms

32:55 Expressive models and voice inflection

35:21 Key insights: connect and conversion rates

38:34 Discussing architecture design changes

About the guest :

Torrey Leonard is the CEO and Founder of Thoughtly, a company building AI-powered voice agents that help businesses automate lead generation, customer communication, and sales workflows. He specializes in creating scalable AI systems that improve efficiency while balancing ethics, guardrails, and real-world business applications.

How to connect Torrey :

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/torrey-leonard/

Website : https://www.thoughtly.com/

About the host :

Solomon Williams is the founder of Solonox and the host of the podcast "AI Advantage." Dedicated to helping modern leaders navigate the future of technology, Solomon cuts through the noise and hype to deliver clear, insightful conversations about AI and automation. On his podcast, he shares his expertise, sometimes solo, sometimes alongside the brightest minds in tech, offering practical advice on what it really takes to grow smarter in a rapidly evolving digital world. With "AI Advantage," Solomon invites listeners to join him on a journey to decode the technologies shaping tomorrow.

Contact Solomon:

Website: https://solonox.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swilliams1992/