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AI Voice Alerts

Let your AI coding assistant speak when it needs you

Enable voice notifications for AI coding assistants to get your attention during long-running tasks. Never miss an important decision point or error while multitasking.

🎯 Why Use Voice Alerts?

AI coding assistants often work on complex tasks that take time. While they're processing, you might be:

  • Focused on another screen or task
  • Reading documentation
  • In another application
  • Away from your desk

Voice alerts ensure you're notified immediately when your input is needed, without constantly monitoring the AI's progress.

🚀 Quick Start

macOS (using say command)

Tell your AI assistant:

I give you permission to use the `say` command whenever you need my attention. 
Please use voice alerts to notify me when something important comes up.

Linux (using espeak)

I give you permission to use the `espeak` command for voice alerts when you need my attention.

Windows (using PowerShell)

I give you permission to use PowerShell's voice synthesis for alerts when you need my attention.
You can use: Add-Type -AssemblyName System.speech; (New-Object System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer).Speak('message')

📢 What You'll Hear

Your AI assistant will use brief, clear messages like:

  • "I need your input on a design decision"
  • "The tests are failing with an unexpected error"
  • "I've completed the refactoring and need direction"
  • "I found something that requires your attention"

🛠️ Platform-Specific Setup

macOS

Built-in say command with multiple voice options:

say "Hello"                    # Default voice
say -v Daniel "Hello"          # British English
say -v Samantha "Hello"        # American English
say -v "Mei-Jia" "你好"        # Chinese

Linux

Install espeak if not available:

sudo apt-get install espeak    # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install espeak        # RHEL/CentOS

Windows

Uses built-in Windows Speech API, no installation needed.

⚙️ Configuration Tips

  1. Test Volume First: Ask your AI to demonstrate the voice command before granting blanket permission
  2. Customize Voice: Most platforms support different voices and speech rates
  3. Set Boundaries: Specify when you do/don't want voice alerts (e.g., "only during work hours")

🔇 Alternative Notification Methods

If voice alerts aren't suitable for your environment:

  • Terminal Bell: echo -e "\a" (cross-platform beep)
  • Desktop Notifications: Many AI assistants can trigger system notifications
  • Status Files: Have the AI write status updates to a file you monitor
  • Slack/Discord Webhooks: For team environments

🎭 Supported AI Assistants

This approach works with any AI coding assistant that can execute terminal commands:

  • GitHub Copilot (with compatible IDE extensions)
  • Windsurf Cascade
  • Cursor
  • Codeium
  • Any AI with terminal access

📝 Example Use Cases

  • Long test runs: Get notified when tests complete or fail
  • Build processes: Alert when builds finish or encounter errors
  • Large refactoring: Notification when AI needs clarification
  • Code generation: Alert when human review is needed
  • Deployment tasks: Status updates during multi-step processes

🤝 Contributing

Have a voice alert setup for another platform or AI assistant? Please contribute!

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Add your configuration to the appropriate section
  3. Submit a pull request

⚠️ Considerations

  • Privacy: Be mindful of voice alerts in shared spaces
  • Volume: Keep at a level that's noticeable but not disruptive
  • Frequency: AI assistants should use voice alerts sparingly for important events only