Keeping Up with Silicon ValleyKeeping Up
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  2. Edition of Friday, October 23, 2026
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LaunchConfirmed by the company

Dessa: Conversation model trained only on speech

Context: Block unveiled Dessa, a speech-to-speech AI model trained on human conversation that it says runs locally on a MacBook Pro M4 Max or newer.

Source
block.xyz (block.xyz)
Published
First seen here
Edition
Friday, October 23, 2026, ranked 3
Status
The company itself announced or confirmed this.
Engagement
As shown by each platform when we last looked ().
Why it’s here
Block's own launch page; 504 points on Hacker News and covered by The Verge and TechCrunch.
Topics
AI, Consumer
Dessa: Conversation model trained only on speech · Keeping Up with Silicon Valley