team is amazing
What a legit team @blocks (@jack) put behind Dessa.
@RagavanThurair @RayhaneMama @carajzp @dvirzg.
• RealTalk (2019): the Joe Rogan voice clone
• Efficient-VDVAE
• Tacotron-2, 2.3K★
Now: full-duplex speech-to-speech trained only on raw speech.
Block retweeted
Exploring new approaches to speech AI, including how models can learn directly from human speech and better understand the nuance of conversation, is more relevant than ever. Proud that @blocks culture creates space for small teams like Dessa to innovate.
Meet Dessa, our speech model trained from scratch on human conversation.
Hear it for yourself: block.xyz/dessa
Block retweeted
Meet Dessa by @Block.
It continues to blow my mind. The most real AI voice I’ve experienced.
Just put the sound on and listen.
→ trained entirely on human speech
→ full duplex, listens while it speaks
→ understands timing, emotion, laughter + pauses
Congrats @RagavanThurair and team. A real breakthrough.
Block retweeted
Meet Dessa, our AI model trained from scratch on nothing but speech.
We believe speech is the natural interface for technology. So we built Dessa.
And we’re inviting AI safety researchers to explore Dessa.
Learn more: block.xyz/dessa
Per the @nytimes 👀
nytimes.com/interactive/2026…
Block retweeted
AI agents aren't just changing how companies work. They're changing how companies are built.
Leaders from @blocks, @Cloudflare and @Klaviyo joined The Information's Co-Executive Editor @amir Efrati at AI Agenda Live 2026 in San Francisco to discuss how agentic AI is reshaping company structures, accelerating development and redefining the role of employees.
Read more: thein.fo/4BBFmfR
[Field notes] from Advertising Week New York, where Lauren Copland, Block's Ecosystem Partnership Lead joined @ROKT and @eMarketer for “Beyond the Brand" session.
Lauren shared how thoughtful partnerships can grow beyond an initial use case when teams stay focused on:
- Building from a strong customer and business need
- Using early learnings to identify where else a partner can create value
- Tailoring each opportunity to the specific business, customer, and moment
- Protecting trust and customer experience as partnerships scale
Block retweeted
being on set feels extra special in the ai era.
excited about what we've got cooking to close out 2026 for @BitcoinatBlock ✨
Block has joined the Open Secure AI Alliance, hosted by the @linuxfoundation. AI security gets stronger when people can build, test, and share defenses in the open: block.xyz/inside/block-joins…
A security alert rarely tells the whole story.
Block uses @OpenAI to connect signals across systems and investigate threats. Our people validate every result and guide remediation.
Our CISO James Nettesheim shares how: openai.com/index/block-ai-po…
"For us, it’s about building useful stuff for customers.”
@owenbjennings spoke with @theinformation about how we’re rethinking how we work with AI agents so our teams can focus on making the right calls for our customers.
More here: theinformation.com/articles/…
When anyone can generate ideas, taste matters more. @brooke_h_ellis joined @FastCompany to discuss discernment, creative judgment, and deciding what’s worth making.














