Singapore’s Voice AI Agent Transforming Japan’s Call Centers

Singapore is making its mark in the global AI landscape as a local technology company expands the use of multilingual autonomous voice agents into Japan’s call center industry. As organizations worldwide accelerate the adoption of AI to streamline contact center operations, this new advancement aims to support Japanese businesses facing labor shortages and rising operational costs.

Functional AI Partners Pte. Ltd., headquartered in Singapore and led by Managing Director Getty Poon, has teamed up with elDesign, Inc., a BPO service provider based in Tokyo and headed by CEO Kenichi Sakagoshi. Together, the companies have successfully built a multilingual voice AI agent designed specifically for Japanese call centers, integrating business process expertise from elDesign.

Through this collaboration, the AI voice agent can now manage customer interactions traditionally handled by human call center staff across multiple languages. This innovation not only reduces dependency on human operators but also significantly lowers service costs. For example, based on simulations for 1,000 calls per month, the new system delivered a cost of just US $0.67 (around ¥101) per call, putting it on par with or even below current outsourcing pricing in Japan. Additionally, the companies aim to further reduce the cost to US $0.20 (approx. ¥30) per call to support businesses struggling with workforce gaps and long-term structural expenses.

The rising demand for voice AI technology worldwide highlights the urgency for Japan to advance beyond standard IVR systems and limited chatbot solutions. Although the country has made progress in digital transformation, call centers continue to face staffing challenges. With remote customer engagement channels like web and social media becoming standard, companies must adopt AI systems that can seamlessly assist across multiple communication points.

This AI agent was developed in just one and a half months. After thorough evaluation, the joint team selected a technology stack that includes ElevenLabs, n8n, and Twilio, complemented by Japanese-language voice data trained from scratch to ensure accuracy and natural conversation quality.

Technical Scope

• Supported Languages: Japanese and English

• Platforms: ElevenLabs (USA), n8n (Germany), Twilio (USA)

• Channels Supported: Voice (SIP) and email

• LLMs in Use: Gemini and Grok

The decision to select these platforms focused on maintaining strong data management standards within Japan while also leveraging global best-in-class technologies. ElevenLabs was chosen for its strong multilingual support and advanced Japanese voice features. n8n enhances workflow clarity and allows in-house teams to manage processes without heavy technical dependency. Meanwhile, Twilio plays a key role in connecting with modern SIP trunking systems used in contact centers.

As AI adoption continues to surge, this development marks a major milestone in Japan’s shift toward autonomous customer experience solutions supporting faster response times, improved service availability, and cost efficiency for BPO operations.