This AI Assistant Is Prepared to Help During a Phone Call

Deutsche Telekom, the German telecom provider and majority owner of T-Mobile in the US, is rolling out an AI assistant for its phone line. Developed through a collaboration with AI-audio firm ElevenLabs, this feature is named Magenta AI Call Assistant. Initially, it will be available exclusively in Germany and will not require a dedicated app or specific smartphone. The AI assistant will be integrated into phone calls, providing services such as live language translation for users who opt in.

The Magenta AI Call Assistant was introduced at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona by ElevenLabs co-founder Mati Staniszewski alongside Abdu Mudesir, an executive board member focusing on product and technology at Deutsche Telekom. The assistant activates when someone says, “Hey Magenta,” during a call, allowing users to request live translations, check calendar availability, or access nearby locations via map services.

ElevenLabs is acclaimed for its voice cloning technology, which includes mimicking podcast hosts and US presidents. Staniszewski shared insights about the Magenta service on LinkedIn, emphasizing the initiative to make the feature available without requiring an app download.

Abdu Mudesir, executive board member for product and technology at Deutsche Telekom, unveils the Magenta AI Call Assistant at MWC 2026.

Courtesy of Norbert Ittermann/Deutsche Telkom

“In a phone call, the assistant becomes active when the ‘Hey Magenta’ wake-up word is spoken,” a Deutsche Telekom representative stated in an email to WIRED. “It only listens for the inquiries posed. If you want to ask another question later, you need to activate it again.”

While AI-driven language translation services are not new, they have generally been limited to specific devices. For instance, Apple features a Live Translation option across several devices, as does Samsung. Google provides Voice Translate on its Pixel 10 smartphones, which uses AI to replicate users’ voice tones. Both companies aspire for Magenta’s appeal to stem from its compatibility with various hardware and software, making it seem like a more fluid part of a phone conversation.

However, this convenience raises significant privacy issues, particularly concerning the introduction of AI assistants in unsecured phone calls and the potential for extensive data collection.

Avijit Ghosh, a technical AI policy researcher at Hugging Face, expressed concern over the deployment of AI assistants in non-encrypted communications. He also questions the practical utility of the assistant, given that activating it requires users to interrupt their phone conversations.