---
title: Voice-First AI Companion
description: "Pair the OpenAI Agents SDK with Mem0 to build a voice assistant that remembers."
---


This guide demonstrates how to combine OpenAI's Agents SDK for voice applications with Mem0's memory capabilities to create a voice assistant that remembers user preferences and past interactions.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

1. Installed OpenAI Agents SDK with voice dependencies:
```bash
pip install 'openai-agents[voice]'
```

2. Installed Mem0 SDK:
```bash
pip install mem0ai
```

3. Installed other required dependencies:
```bash
pip install numpy sounddevice pydantic
```

4. Set up your API keys:
   - OpenAI API key for the Agents SDK
   - Mem0 API key from the Mem0 Platform

## Code Breakdown

Let's break down the key components of this implementation:

### 1. Setting Up Dependencies and Environment

```python
# OpenAI Agents SDK imports
from agents import (
    Agent,
    function_tool
)
from agents.voice import (
    AudioInput,
    SingleAgentVoiceWorkflow,
    VoicePipeline
)
from agents.extensions.handoff_prompt import prompt_with_handoff_instructions

# Mem0 imports
from mem0 import AsyncMemoryClient

# Set up API keys (replace with your actual keys)
os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "your-openai-api-key"
os.environ["MEM0_API_KEY"] = "your-mem0-api-key"

# Define a global user ID for simplicity
USER_ID = "voice_user"

# Initialize Mem0 client
mem0_client = AsyncMemoryClient()
```

This section handles:
- Importing required modules from OpenAI Agents SDK and Mem0
- Setting up environment variables for API keys
- Defining a simple user identification system (using a global variable)
- Initializing the Mem0 client that will handle memory operations

### 2. Memory Tools with Function Decorators

The `@function_tool` decorator transforms Python functions into callable tools for the OpenAI agent. Here are the key memory tools:

#### Storing User Memories

```python
import logging

# Set up logging at the top of your file
logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.DEBUG,
    format='%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s',
    force=True
)
logger = logging.getLogger("memory_voice_agent")

# Then use logger in your function tools
@function_tool
async def save_memories(
    memory: str
) -> str:
    """Store a user memory in memory."""
    # This will be visible in your console
    logger.debug(f"Saving memory: {memory} for user {USER_ID}")
    
    # Store the preference in Mem0
    memory_content = f"User memory - {memory}"
    await mem0_client.add(
        memory_content,
        user_id=USER_ID,
    )

    return f"I've saved your memory: {memory}"
```

This function:
- Takes a memory string
- Creates a formatted memory string
- Stores it in Mem0 using the `add()` method
- Includes metadata to categorize the memory for easier retrieval
- Returns a confirmation message that the agent will speak

#### Finding Relevant Memories

```python
@function_tool
async def search_memories(
    query: str
) -> str:
    """
    Find memories relevant to the current conversation.
    Args:
        query: The search query to find relevant memories
    """
    print(f"Finding memories related to: {query}")
    results = await mem0_client.search(
        query,
        user_id=USER_ID,
        limit=5,
        threshold=0.7,  # Higher threshold for more relevant results
        
    )
    
    # Format and return the results
    if not results.get('results', []):
        return "I don't have any relevant memories about this topic."
    
    memories = [f"• {result['memory']}" for result in results.get('results', [])]
    return "Here's what I remember that might be relevant:\n" + "\n".join(memories)
```

This tool:
- Takes a search query string
- Passes it to Mem0's semantic search to find related memories
- Sets a threshold for relevance to ensure quality results
- Returns a formatted list of relevant memories or a default message

### 3. Creating the Voice Agent

```python
def create_memory_voice_agent():
    # Create the agent with memory-enabled tools
    agent = Agent(
        name="Memory Assistant",
        instructions=prompt_with_handoff_instructions(
            """You're speaking to a human, so be polite and concise.
            Always respond in clear, natural English.
            You have the ability to remember information about the user.
            Use the save_memories tool when the user shares an important information worth remembering.
            Use the search_memories tool when you need context from past conversations or user asks you to recall something.
            """,
        ),
        model="gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14",
        tools=[save_memories, search_memories],
    )
    
    return agent
```

This function:
- Creates an OpenAI Agent with specific instructions
- Configures it to use gpt-4.1-nano (you can use other models)
- Registers the memory-related tools with the agent
- Uses `prompt_with_handoff_instructions` to include standard voice agent behaviors

### 4. Microphone Recording Functionality

```python
async def record_from_microphone(duration=5, samplerate=24000):
    """Record audio from the microphone for a specified duration."""
    print(f"Recording for {duration} seconds...")
    
    # Create a buffer to store the recorded audio
    frames = []
    
    # Callback function to store audio data
    def callback(indata, frames_count, time_info, status):
        frames.append(indata.copy())
    
    # Start recording
    with sd.InputStream(samplerate=samplerate, channels=1, callback=callback, dtype=np.int16):
        await asyncio.sleep(duration)
    
    # Combine all frames into a single numpy array
    audio_data = np.concatenate(frames)
    return audio_data
```

This function:
- Creates a simple asynchronous microphone recording function
- Uses the sounddevice library to capture audio input
- Stores frames in a buffer during recording
- Combines frames into a single numpy array when complete
- Returns the audio data for processing

### 5. Main Loop and Voice Processing

```python
async def main():
    # Create the agent
    agent = create_memory_voice_agent()
    
    # Set up the voice pipeline
    pipeline = VoicePipeline(
        workflow=SingleAgentVoiceWorkflow(agent)
    )
    
    # Configure TTS settings
    pipeline.config.tts_settings.voice = "alloy"
    pipeline.config.tts_settings.speed = 1.0
    
    try:
        while True:
            # Get user input
            print("\nPress Enter to start recording (or 'q' to quit)...")
            user_input = input()
            if user_input.lower() == 'q':
                break
            
            # Record and process audio
            audio_data = await record_from_microphone(duration=5)
            audio_input = AudioInput(buffer=audio_data)
            result = await pipeline.run(audio_input)
            
            # Play response and handle events
            player = sd.OutputStream(samplerate=24000, channels=1, dtype=np.int16)
            player.start()
            
            agent_response = ""
            print("\nAgent response:")
            
            async for event in result.stream():
                if event.type == "voice_stream_event_audio":
                    player.write(event.data)
                elif event.type == "voice_stream_event_content":
                    content = event.data
                    agent_response += content
                    print(content, end="", flush=True)
            
            # Save the agent's response to memory
            if agent_response:
                try:
                    await mem0_client.add(
                        f"Agent response: {agent_response}", 
                        user_id=USER_ID,
                        metadata={"type": "agent_response"}
                    )
                except Exception as e:
                    print(f"Failed to store memory: {e}")
    
    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        print("\nExiting...")
```

This main function orchestrates the entire process:
1. Creates the memory-enabled voice agent
2. Sets up the voice pipeline with TTS settings
3. Implements an interactive loop for recording and processing voice input
4. Handles streaming of response events (both audio and text)
5. Automatically saves the agent's responses to memory
6. Includes proper error handling and exit mechanisms

## Create a Memory-Enabled Voice Agent

Now that we've explained each component, here's the complete implementation that combines OpenAI Agents SDK for voice with Mem0's memory capabilities:

```python
import asyncio
import os
import logging
from typing import Optional, List, Dict, Any
import numpy as np
import sounddevice as sd
from pydantic import BaseModel

# OpenAI Agents SDK imports
from agents import (
    Agent,
    function_tool
)
from agents.voice import (
    AudioInput,
    SingleAgentVoiceWorkflow,
    VoicePipeline
)
from agents.extensions.handoff_prompt import prompt_with_handoff_instructions

# Mem0 imports
from mem0 import AsyncMemoryClient

# Set up API keys (replace with your actual keys)
os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "your-openai-api-key"
os.environ["MEM0_API_KEY"] = "your-mem0-api-key"

# Define a global user ID for simplicity
USER_ID = "voice_user"

# Initialize Mem0 client
mem0_client = AsyncMemoryClient()

# Create tools that utilize Mem0's memory
@function_tool
async def save_memories(
    memory: str
) -> str:
    """
    Store a user memory in memory.
    Args:
        memory: The memory to save
    """
    print(f"Saving memory: {memory} for user {USER_ID}")

    # Store the preference in Mem0
    memory_content = f"User memory - {memory}"
    await mem0_client.add(
        memory_content,
        user_id=USER_ID,
    )

    return f"I've saved your memory: {memory}"

@function_tool
async def search_memories(
    query: str
) -> str:
    """
    Find memories relevant to the current conversation.
    Args:
        query: The search query to find relevant memories
    """
    print(f"Finding memories related to: {query}")
    results = await mem0_client.search(
        query,
        user_id=USER_ID,
        limit=5,
        threshold=0.7,  # Higher threshold for more relevant results
        
    )
    
    # Format and return the results
    if not results.get('results', []):
        return "I don't have any relevant memories about this topic."
    
    memories = [f"• {result['memory']}" for result in results.get('results', [])]
    return "Here's what I remember that might be relevant:\n" + "\n".join(memories)

# Create the agent with memory-enabled tools
def create_memory_voice_agent():
    # Create the agent with memory-enabled tools
    agent = Agent(
        name="Memory Assistant",
        instructions=prompt_with_handoff_instructions(
            """You're speaking to a human, so be polite and concise.
            Always respond in clear, natural English.
            You have the ability to remember information about the user.
            Use the save_memories tool when the user shares an important information worth remembering.
            Use the search_memories tool when you need context from past conversations or user asks you to recall something.
            """,
        ),
        model="gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14",
        tools=[save_memories, search_memories],
    )
    
    return agent

async def record_from_microphone(duration=5, samplerate=24000):
    """Record audio from the microphone for a specified duration."""
    print(f"Recording for {duration} seconds...")
    
    # Create a buffer to store the recorded audio
    frames = []
    
    # Callback function to store audio data
    def callback(indata, frames_count, time_info, status):
        frames.append(indata.copy())
    
    # Start recording
    with sd.InputStream(samplerate=samplerate, channels=1, callback=callback, dtype=np.int16):
        await asyncio.sleep(duration)
    
    # Combine all frames into a single numpy array
    audio_data = np.concatenate(frames)
    return audio_data

async def main():
    print("Starting Memory Voice Agent")
    
    # Create the agent and context
    agent = create_memory_voice_agent()
    
    # Set up the voice pipeline
    pipeline = VoicePipeline(
        workflow=SingleAgentVoiceWorkflow(agent)
    )
    
    # Configure TTS settings
    pipeline.config.tts_settings.voice = "alloy"
    pipeline.config.tts_settings.speed = 1.0
    
    try:
        while True:
            # Get user input
            print("\nPress Enter to start recording (or 'q' to quit)...")
            user_input = input()
            if user_input.lower() == 'q':
                break
            
            # Record and process audio
            audio_data = await record_from_microphone(duration=5)
            audio_input = AudioInput(buffer=audio_data)
            
            print("Processing your request...")
            
            # Process the audio input
            result = await pipeline.run(audio_input)
            
            # Create an audio player
            player = sd.OutputStream(samplerate=24000, channels=1, dtype=np.int16)
            player.start()
            
            # Store the agent's response for adding to memory
            agent_response = ""
            
            print("\nAgent response:")
            # Play the audio stream as it comes in
            async for event in result.stream():
                if event.type == "voice_stream_event_audio":
                    player.write(event.data)
                elif event.type == "voice_stream_event_content":
                    # Accumulate and print the text response
                    content = event.data
                    agent_response += content
                    print(content, end="", flush=True)
            
            print("\n")
            
            # Example of saving the conversation to Mem0 after completion
            if agent_response:
                try:
                    await mem0_client.add(
                        f"Agent response: {agent_response}", 
                        user_id=USER_ID,
                        metadata={"type": "agent_response"}
                    )
                except Exception as e:
                    print(f"Failed to store memory: {e}")
    
    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        print("\nExiting...")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(main())
```

## Key Features of This Implementation

This implementation offers several key features:

1. **Simplified User Management**: Uses a global `USER_ID` variable for simplicity, but can be extended to manage multiple users.

2. **Real Microphone Input**: Includes a `record_from_microphone()` function that captures actual voice input from your microphone.

3. **Interactive Voice Loop**: Implements a continuous interaction loop, allowing for multiple back-and-forth exchanges.

4. **Memory Management Tools**:
   - `save_memories`: Stores user memories in Mem0
   - `search_memories`: Searches for relevant past information

5. **Voice Configuration**: Demonstrates how to configure TTS settings for the voice response.

## Running the Example

To run this example:

1. Replace the placeholder API keys with your actual keys
2. Make sure your microphone is properly connected
3. Run the script with Python 3.8 or newer
4. Press Enter to start recording, then speak your request
5. Press 'q' to quit the application

The agent will listen to your request, process it through the OpenAI model, utilize Mem0 for memory operations as needed, and respond both through text output and voice speech.

## Best Practices for Voice Agents with Memory

1. **Optimizing Memory for Voice**: Keep memories concise and relevant for voice responses.

2. **Forgetting Mechanism**: Implement a way to delete or expire memories that are no longer relevant.

3. **Context Preservation**: Store enough context with each memory to make retrieval effective.

4. **Error Handling**: Implement robust error handling for memory operations, as voice interactions should continue smoothly even if memory operations fail.

## Conclusion

By combining OpenAI's Agents SDK with Mem0's memory capabilities, you can create voice agents that maintain persistent memory of user preferences and past interactions. This significantly enhances the user experience by making conversations more natural and personalized.

As you build your voice application, experiment with different memory strategies and filtering approaches to find the optimal balance between comprehensive memory and efficient retrieval for your specific use case.

## Debugging Function Tools

When working with the OpenAI Agents SDK, you might notice that regular `print()` statements inside `@function_tool` decorated functions don't appear in your console output. This is because the Agents SDK captures and redirects standard output when executing these functions.

To effectively debug your function tools, use Python's `logging` module instead:

```python
import logging

# Set up logging at the top of your file
logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.DEBUG,
    format='%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s',
    force=True
)
logger = logging.getLogger("memory_voice_agent")

# Then use logger in your function tools
@function_tool
async def save_memories(
    memory: str
) -> str:
    """Store a user memory in memory."""
    # This will be visible in your console
    logger.debug(f"Saving memory: {memory} for user {USER_ID}")

    # Rest of your function...
```

---

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Multimodal Support" icon="image" href="/platform/features/multimodal-support">
    Learn how to add vision and audio memory alongside voice interactions.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Build a Mem0 Companion" icon="users" href="/cookbooks/essentials/building-ai-companion">
    Master the core patterns for building memory-powered companions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
