Build an ElevenLabs Personal Assistant Voice AI Agent [Full Guide]
Imagine having a personal assistant that understands natural voice commands to send emails, manage contacts, and perform research - all without typing a single word. This step-by-step guide shows how to build exactly that using ElevenLabs and n8n automation.
What This Voice AI Assistant Can Do
Business owners and executives waste countless hours on repetitive administrative tasks like email management and contact organization. The frustration of context-switching between apps and manually performing these tasks adds unnecessary stress to already busy schedules.
This voice AI assistant solves that problem by providing natural voice control over common business functions. At 2:15 in the video, we see the assistant successfully sending an email just by asking it to "send an email to Brennan and tell him to have a great day." The entire process happens automatically through the integration between ElevenLabs and n8n.
Key capability: The assistant can access contact lists from Google Sheets, send personalized emails through Gmail, and perform web research - all through simple voice commands.
Setting Up the ElevenLabs Agent
ElevenLabs offers two platforms - the Creative platform for voice generation and the Agents platform for building interactive AI assistants. We'll be working in the Agents platform to create our voice assistant.
After logging into ElevenLabs, navigate to the Agents section in the left sidebar. Click "New Agent" to start from scratch. While templates are available for common use cases like personal assistants, we'll select "Blank Agent" for maximum customization.
Name your agent something descriptive like "n8n ElevenLabs Voice Agent Demo." This helps identify it later if you build multiple assistants. The initial setup is quick, taking just a few clicks to create the agent shell.
Configuring the System Prompt
The system prompt is the brain of your voice AI assistant, defining its capabilities, limitations, and personality. ElevenLabs provides an AI-generated prompt starter that we can customize.
The generated prompt includes several key components: the assistant's name and role (e.g., "Alfred works for Brennan"), personality traits ("efficient, highly organized and proactive"), interaction context ("voice interface"), tone guidelines ("concise, clear and professional"), and operational guardrails ("do not provide medical, legal or financial advice").
Pro tip: The system prompt should match your specific business needs. If your assistant will handle customer service, include appropriate tone and escalation guidelines.
Connecting the n8n Webhook
The magic happens when we connect ElevenLabs to n8n using webhooks. In ElevenLabs' Tools section, add a new Webhook tool. This will allow the voice assistant to communicate with our n8n automation.
In n8n, create a new webhook node set to POST method. Copy the webhook URL from n8n and paste it into ElevenLabs' webhook configuration. Name the tool descriptively like "n8n Agent" and set the description to explain its purpose: "If you need to communicate with any external applications, then call this tool."
Increase the response timeout to 90 seconds to accommodate longer operations like web research. Define the body parameter that will contain the user's voice request, marking it as required since our n8n workflow depends on this input.
Building the n8n Workflow
The n8n workflow processes requests from the voice assistant and executes the appropriate actions. Start with the webhook trigger, then add an AI Agent node connected to Open Router's language model.
The AI Agent needs a comprehensive system message defining its responsibilities and available tools. In our example, these include Gmail for sending emails, Google Sheets for contact management, and Perplexity for research.
Connect the appropriate nodes for each function: a Gmail node for sending messages, a Google Sheets node to access contacts, and a Perplexity node for research. Finally, add a "Respond to Webhook" node to send results back to ElevenLabs.
Workflow tip: Switch from test URL to production URL in the webhook settings for continuous conversation without manually triggering each execution.
Testing the Voice Assistant
With everything connected, test the assistant through ElevenLabs' preview interface. Start with simple commands like "send an email to [contact]" to verify the basic functionality.
At 10:30 in the video, we see a more complex test where the assistant successfully pulls contact information from Google Sheets and then sends a follow-up email - all through voice commands in a single conversation.
Monitor the n8n executions to ensure each step completes as expected. The workflow should show the incoming webhook request, the AI Agent's decision-making process, the execution of the appropriate tools, and the response back to ElevenLabs.
Advanced Customizations
Once the basic assistant is working, explore ElevenLabs' customization options. Change the voice from the default to one of their many options, or even clone your own voice for a more personal touch.
Adjust voice parameters like stability, speed, and similarity to fine-tune how natural the assistant sounds. You can also modify the language model used by ElevenLabs, with options like Gemini 2.5 Flash available.
For businesses, consider adding a knowledge base with company-specific information the assistant can reference. The widget feature lets you embed the assistant directly on your website for customer interactions.
Watch the Full Tutorial
For a complete walkthrough of setting up this voice AI assistant, watch the full tutorial video below. At 7:15, you'll see the detailed configuration of the n8n workflow that powers the assistant's capabilities.
Key Takeaways
Building a voice AI assistant with ElevenLabs and n8n transforms how you interact with business tools. Instead of manually switching between apps and typing commands, you can simply speak naturally to get things done.
In summary: 1) Configure the ElevenLabs agent with a clear system prompt, 2) Connect to n8n via webhooks, 3) Build workflows for email, contacts and research, 4) Test and refine the voice interaction, 5) Customize for your specific business needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic
A voice AI assistant built with ElevenLabs and n8n can handle various tasks through natural voice commands. It integrates voice interaction with powerful workflow automation.
The assistant can send emails, manage contacts, perform research, and connect with multiple business applications. All functionality is accessible through natural conversation without typing or clicking.
- Sends emails through Gmail integration
- Manages contacts in Google Sheets
- Performs web research using Perplexity AI
No advanced coding skills are required for basic implementations. Both ElevenLabs and n8n provide visual interfaces for configuration.
The setup involves connecting pre-built components rather than writing code. Some technical understanding helps with troubleshooting and more complex customizations.
- Visual workflow builder in n8n
- Point-and-click configuration in ElevenLabs
- Webhook setup requires basic technical knowledge
The assistant connects to business tools through n8n's workflow automation capabilities. n8n supports hundreds of integrations with common business applications.
Webhooks pass voice commands from ElevenLabs to n8n, which then executes the appropriate actions in connected apps like Gmail or Google Sheets.
- Uses n8n's native nodes for popular services
- Webhooks connect ElevenLabs to the automation
- Can add custom API connections if needed
Yes, the assistant is highly customizable for different industries and use cases. Both the voice interaction and automation workflows can be tailored.
You can modify the system prompt, add specialized knowledge bases, and create custom n8n workflows for industry-specific tasks.
- Adjust system prompt for different roles
- Add industry-specific knowledge bases
- Create custom workflows in n8n
The core components are ElevenLabs for voice interaction and n8n for workflow automation. You'll also need accounts for any services you want to integrate.
Essential elements include the ElevenLabs agent platform, n8n automation server, and webhook connection between them. Additional services depend on your use case.
- ElevenLabs agent platform
- n8n automation server
- Webhook connection
Security depends on implementation choices. Both ElevenLabs and n8n offer secure connections, but sensitive operations may need additional safeguards.
You can configure the assistant with guardrails in the system prompt and implement additional authentication for critical systems. Data encryption and access controls should be considered.
- Use secure connections for all integrations
- Implement guardrails in system prompt
- Add authentication for sensitive operations
Yes, the assistant maintains conversation context, allowing for multi-step interactions. The webhook connection keeps the session active for follow-up requests.
You can chain related tasks like looking up a contact and then sending them an email. The assistant remembers previous interactions within the same conversation.
- Maintains context between requests
- Handles related multi-step tasks
- Remembers previous interactions in session
GrowwStacks specializes in building custom voice AI assistants for businesses. We handle the technical implementation so you get a working solution without the complexity.
Our team designs the ElevenLabs agent, configures the n8n workflows, and integrates all your business tools. We offer free consultations to discuss your specific needs.
- Custom voice assistant design and implementation
- Integration with your existing business tools
- Free 30-minute consultation to discuss your needs
Get Your Own Voice AI Assistant Working in Days, Not Months
Every minute spent on manual administrative tasks is time taken away from growing your business. Our team at GrowwStacks can have your custom voice assistant up and running quickly, handling emails, contacts and research through simple voice commands.