A Zoom Phone AI receptionist on an IVR key
A Zoom Phone auto receptionist key or queue overflow sends callers to a Cartesia agent's number, so the agent works as your Zoom Phone AI receptionist.
Front-line agent
Answers calls from the IVR or queue overflow and passes the rest to your team.
Instructions
Answer rent payment options, office hours and parking rules. Transfer active leaks and other emergencies to the maintenance queue, and named requests to that manager's Zoom Phone number.
- Handoff
- Zoom Phone team number
Connected tools
- Transfer to Zoom PhoneTransfer
What a Zoom Phone AI voice agent can do
Open one to watch a call. The grey lines are the tools the agent calls mid-sentence.
A key in an auto receptionist's IVR menu routes callers to the agent's number as an external phone number.
When a call queue passes its max wait time or max calls, overflow routes callers to the agent instead of voicemail.
Callers who need a person go to a Zoom Phone number, such as a call queue, a user or another auto receptionist.
Zoom Phone settings
These are the Admin Center settings for sending an IVR key or queue overflow to the agent.
- IVR key
- Auto Receptionists, the receptionist, Route to, IVR. Key action Phone Number (external phone number).
- Queue overflow
- Call Queues, the queue, Business hours, Overflow, Edit. Phone Number, set to the agent's number.
- Requirement
- The auto receptionist or call queue needs a direct number.
- Role
- Account owner, admin, or the auto receptionist's operator.
Set it up
A phone hand-off. An auto receptionist or call queue routes callers to the agent's number. There is no SIP trunk between Zoom Phone and Cartesia. Vendor details read in November 2026.
Give the agent a number
Import a number from Twilio or connect a SIP trunk number. Transfers work only on Twilio and SIP trunk numbers, not on Cartesia numbers.
Point an IVR key at the agent
Under Product configuration, Phone system, Auto Receptionists, pick one with a direct number. In Route to, choose Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and set a key to Phone Number with the agent's number.
Send queue overflow to the agent
Under Call Queues, open the queue, then Business hours, Overflow, Edit. Choose Phone Number and enter the agent's number, so callers nobody answers reach the agent.
Set the way back and test
Add a transfer rule in Cartesia to a Zoom Phone number that reaches a person. Call the auto receptionist, press the key, and ask for a person.
Before you build
User forwarding follows policy
If a user forwards their own calls to the agent, their Call Forwarding to External Numbers policy has to allow it.
External calls are billed
Zoom bills calls routed to an external number at your plan rate, and an admin must acknowledge that PSTN billing when setting the route.
Leave the press-1 option off
If a user forwards to the agent instead, turn off Require to press 1 before connecting the call. With it on, the agent is asked to press 1 before the call connects.
Transfers are cold
The person who picks up gets the call, not the conversation. Have the agent tell the caller where it's sending them before it transfers.
Use cases for teams on Zoom Phone
More integrations
Enterprise-grade security
HIPAA compliant
SOC 2 Type 2
GDPR
Zoom Phone AI voice agent FAQs
Does Zoom Phone have an AI receptionist?
Yes. Zoom Virtual Agent Receptionist greets callers, answers questions, books appointments and routes calls, and it works with any phone provider. To use a Cartesia agent instead, an auto receptionist key or call queue overflow sends callers to the agent's phone number. Zoom Phone has no built-in Cartesia connection.
Can I use my own AI agent with Zoom Phone?
Yes, as an external phone number. An auto receptionist IVR key or a queue's overflow routes callers there, and the agent transfers back to a Zoom Phone number that reaches a person. A Cartesia agent calls webhook tools you define in your own systems and uses the voice and model you choose.
How do I forward Zoom Phone calls to an AI agent?
In the Admin Center, open Phone system, then Auto Receptionists, and pick one with a direct number. In Route to, choose Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and set a key to Phone Number with the agent's number. You need to be an account owner, admin or the receptionist's operator.
Can unanswered queue calls go to the agent?
Yes. Under Call Queues, open the queue, then Business hours, Overflow, Edit. Choose Phone Number and enter the agent's number, so callers nobody answers reach the agent.
Can a user forward their own calls to the agent?
Yes, if their Call Forwarding to External Numbers policy allows it. Turn off Require to press 1 before connecting the call, or the agent is asked to press 1 before the call connects.
Who bills the minutes when Zoom Phone routes to an agent?
Zoom bills calls routed to an external number at your plan rate, and an admin acknowledges that PSTN billing when setting the route. Cartesia charges $0.03/min, plus LLM usage and telephony, and Twilio or your SIP carrier bills the agent's number.
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