NVIDIA Releases NemotronLabs VoiceChat 11B: Open Full-Duplex Speech Model with ~450ms Turn-Taking and Live Tool Calling

NVIDIA has released VoiceChat 11B under its NemotronLabs initiative, an open full-duplex speech-to-speech model capable of natural conversational turn-taking with approximately 450ms latency. Unlike traditional pipeline-based voice systems, this model handles real-time interruptions and overlapping speech natively, making it far more suitable for natural dialogue applications. A standout feature is live tool calling during voice conversations, enabling the model to invoke external APIs or functions mid-conversation without breaking the speech flow. For developers building voice agents, customer service bots, or any real-time spoken AI interface, this represents a meaningful open-source alternative to proprietary voice APIs. The model's openness means it can be self-hosted, fine-tuned, and integrated into custom stacks without vendor lock-in.