Two Voice Devs

Mark and Allen

Mark and Allen talk about the latest news in the VoiceFirst world from a developer point of view.

  1. Epsiode 262 - 2025 Wrap-Up: The Great Agent Takeover & 2026 Vibe Check

    1 DAY AGO

    Epsiode 262 - 2025 Wrap-Up: The Great Agent Takeover & 2026 Vibe Check

    Happy New Year! Allen and Mark kick off 2026 by looking back at the whirlwind of AI developments in 2025. From the explosion of agentic frameworks like LangGraph, Google's Agent Development Kit, and the Microsoft Agent Framework to the emergence of protocols like MCP and A2A, it was a year of rapid evolution. They discuss the rise of "vibe coding," the state of voice assistants like Alexa Plus and Gemini, and the challenges of monetization and discovery in a model-centric world. What lies ahead in 2026? The duo shares their big predictions! What do we need on the hardware side? Perhaps something new from Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, or someone else? What companies are we rooting for? What's next for agents? Tune in and find out! Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction and Happy New Year [00:01:13] Reflecting on a busy 2025: Google's weekly announcements [00:02:05] New terms: MCP (Model Context Protocol) and A2A (Agent-to-Agent) [00:03:52] The shift to Agents and Agentic solutions [00:05:40] Framework evolution: Microsoft Agent Framework and LangGraph [00:07:54] The rise of Coding Assistants and "Vibe Coding" [00:09:25] State of Voice: Alexa Plus and Gemini on smart devices [00:11:15] Smart Glasses and the future of ambient AI [00:12:40] MCP: Challenges with discovery, monetization, and security [00:15:10] Microsoft Foundry and low-code agent building [00:20:25] Live Streaming Models: Video, Audio, and Text [00:22:00] 2026 Predictions: Voice Flow acquisition [00:23:05] Prediction: Moving from Chatbots to Autonomous Agents [00:25:20] Prediction: The role of Small Language Models (SLMs) [00:27:10] Closing thoughts and 2026 outlook Hashtags: #AI #GenerativeAI #Agents #AutonomousAgents #MCP #A2A #LangGraph #Gemini #VoiceAssistant #SmartGlasses #VoiceFirst #SLM #VoiceFlow #TwoVoiceDevs #YearInReview #2026Predictions #VibeCoding

    28 min
  2. Episode 261 - The Great Holid-AI Rebus Battle

    26/12/2025

    Episode 261 - The Great Holid-AI Rebus Battle

    Get ready for the ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN of holiday cheer and artificial intelligence! In this SPECIAL HOLIDAY EPISODE, Mark and Allen aren't just exchanging pleasantries—they're exchanging MIND-BENDING REBUS PUZZLES generated by some AI models themselves! It's a battle of wits, a clash of code, and a festive face-off as Microsoft Copilot takes on Google's Gemini (and the famous "Nano Banana Pro") to solve visual riddles that will have you shouting at your screen. Can our hosts decipher the scribbles of silicon brains? Or will the AI stump the humans once and for all? Grab your eggnog, put on your thinking cap, and play along! It's Two Voice Devs like you've never seen (or puzzled) them before! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! [00:00:00] Intro: The Rules of Engagement [00:02:48] Puzzle 1: A Nipping Chill [00:03:33] Puzzle 2: Going for Gold [00:07:00] Puzzle 3: Escaping the Cage [00:10:00] Puzzle 4: The Silent Mouse [00:11:00] Puzzle 5: A Knightly Gesture [00:12:15] Puzzle 6: Sweet Ballerina [00:13:30] Puzzle 7: Listen Closely to the Animal [00:15:30] Puzzle 8: A Holiday Wish [00:16:15] Puzzle 9: The Grand Finale Challenge [00:19:30] Happy Holidays from Two Voice Devs! #TwoVoiceDevs #HolidaySpecial #RebusPuzzles #LLMBattle #AIShowdown #Copilot #Gemini #NanoBananaPro #ChatGPT #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #JackFrost #WinterWonderland #Freeze #SugarPlumFairy #Nutcracker #NewYears #Gnu #MerryChristmas #FestivalOfLights #Hanukkah #Kwanzaa #Unity #HolidayFun #Games #Puzzles #TechHumor #DevLife #HappyHolidays #SeasonsGreetings #Fun #Creative #OverTheTop #Podcast #Developers #SoftwareEngineering

    21 min
  3. Episode 260 - Turn Your AI Agent into a Voice Agent With Microsoft Foundry

    24/12/2025

    Episode 260 - Turn Your AI Agent into a Voice Agent With Microsoft Foundry

    Mark Tucker explores Microsoft Azure's "Voice Live" feature within the newly rebranded Microsoft Foundry. He demonstrates how to take a standard text-based AI agent—in this case, one that talks like a pirate—and instantly give it a voice using WebSockets to bridge speech-to-text and text-to-speech. Mark walks through the differences between the "Old" Foundry (V1) and the "New" Foundry (V2), shows the configuration steps, and dives into a Python code example to connect it all together. Learn more: * https://github.com/rmtuckerphx/voicelive-agents-quickstart [00:00:00] Intro and Holiday Plans [00:00:46] Introducing Microsoft Azure Voice Live [00:02:00] Microsoft Foundry Overview [00:02:46] Creating a Pirate Agent in Foundry [00:04:46] Enabling Voice Live in the Playground [00:07:46] Demo: Speaking with the Pirate Agent [00:08:46] Comparing Old and New Foundry [00:13:46] Code Walkthrough: Voice Live Quick Start [00:15:46] Connecting Version 2 Agents [00:18:46] Conclusion #MicrosoftAzure #VoiceLive #MicrosoftFoundry #AI #VoiceFirst #GenerativeAI #SpeechToText #TextToSpeech #Python #Coding

    19 min
  4. Episode 259 - Building Better MCP Servers: Lessons from Vodo Drive

    11/12/2025

    Episode 259 - Building Better MCP Servers: Lessons from Vodo Drive

    Allen and Mark discuss the architecture of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, using Allen's experience with "Vodo Drive" as a case study. They dive into critical considerations for building effective agents, focusing on security, managing API complexity, and enforcing business logic. The conversation explores how to move beyond simple REST API wrappers to create high-level, context-aware tools that ensure safety and efficiency. [00:00:00] Welcome and Introduction [00:00:54] Lessons from Vodo Drive for MCP [00:02:54] The Importance of Security in MCP Servers [00:03:36] Managing API Complexity and Business Logic [00:05:58] Authentication and Authorization Challenges [00:07:37] OAuth Scopes and User-Controlled Access [00:10:48] Handling Complex APIs like Google Workspace [00:13:58] Designing High-Level Tools vs. Low-Level wrappers [00:19:35] Dynamic Tool Lists and Context Awareness [00:24:14] Agents Acting On Behalf of Users, Not As Users #MCP #ModelContextProtocol #AI #Agents #VodoDrive #Security #API #GoogleWorkspace #SoftwareArchitecture #TwoVoiceDevs

    25 min
  5. Episode 258 - Getting Started with GitHub Copilot

    04/12/2025

    Episode 258 - Getting Started with GitHub Copilot

    In this episode of Two Voice Devs, Mark Tucker and Allen Firstenberg dive into the world of GitHub Copilot. Mark shares his recent experience preparing for the GitHub Copilot (GH-300) certification and walks us through the various features and modes of the tool within Visual Studio Code. They discuss the differences between "Ask," "Edit," and "Agent" modes, how Copilot integrates with your workspace and terminal, and the power of using different AI models like Sonnet and Gemini. Whether you're new to AI coding assistants or looking to get more out of your current setup, this episode provides a practical overview of what GitHub Copilot can do today. [00:00:00] Introduction and updates [00:01:26] The GitHub Copilot (GH-300) Certification [00:02:30] GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code [00:03:44] Clarifying the different "Copilots" [00:04:29] Inline Chat and using "Explain" [00:05:46] Selecting different AI models [00:07:39] The Chat Window: Ask, Edit, and Agent modes [00:08:06] Using context variables (@workspace, @terminal, #files) [00:11:36] Demonstrating "Ask" mode [00:14:33] Demonstrating "Edit" mode [00:16:24] Demonstrating "Agent" mode [00:22:36] Custom instructions and specifications [00:25:42] How Copilot works behind the scenes (Proxy & Safety) [00:27:00] Conclusion #GitHubCopilot #VSCode #AIcoding #SoftwareDevelopment #TwoVoiceDevs #GH300 #Certification #DeveloperTools #Programming #TechPodcast

    27 min
  6. Episode 257 - Building Enterprise Agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio

    02/12/2025

    Episode 257 - Building Enterprise Agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio

    Mark Tucker and Allen Firstenberg dive into Microsoft Copilot Studio, a low-code tool for creating conversational agents with a focus on enterprise integrations. Mark demonstrates how to build a file upload agent that summarizes invoices using a Large Language Model (LLM). They explore the studio's interface, including topics, triggers, and the designer canvas, while comparing it to familiar tools like Dialogflow. The discussion also touches on the concept of autonomous agents, flows that can be triggered by events like emails, and Microsoft's strong push for enterprise adoption. [00:00:00] Welcome and Introduction [00:00:49] Introducing Microsoft Copilot Studio [00:02:09] Creating a New Agent [00:05:08] Understanding Topics and Triggers [00:06:57] Testing the Agent: Greeting Topic [00:10:44] Building a File Upload Agent [00:12:37] Implementing the File Upload Logic [00:15:29] Summarizing Invoices with LLMs [00:17:08] Enterprise Tools and Connectors [00:19:00] Flows and Server-Side Triggers [00:21:33] Deployment and Channels [00:23:10] Agents vs. Bots: Autonomous Capabilities [00:24:44] Comparisons with Dialogflow and Google's Ecosystem #MicrosoftCopilotStudio #CopilotStudio #LowCode #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Chatbots #ConversationalAI #EnterpriseAI #Dialogflow #CCAI #LLM #GenerativeAI #TwoVoiceDevs #Developer #TechPodcast

    28 min
  7. Episode 256 - Gratitude, Growth, and Human Connection: A Thanksgiving Special

    28/11/2025

    Episode 256 - Gratitude, Growth, and Human Connection: A Thanksgiving Special

    Allen and Mark return after a hiatus for their annual Thanksgiving episode. They reflect on a busy year, expressing deep gratitude for the community's concern and support. The conversation explores the vital importance of human connection in a tech-centric world, the impact of mentorship, and finding balance between passion projects and life outside of work. [00:00:00] Welcome back & addressing the hiatus [00:01:38] Professional gratitude & new projects [00:02:22] The kindness of the community [00:03:58] The importance of human connection in tech [00:05:40] Reflecting on family, friends, and blessings [00:07:48] The lasting impact of mentorship [00:09:12] Balancing technology and life #Thanksgiving #Gratitude #TechCommunity #Mentorship #WorkLifeBalance #HumanConnection #TwoVoiceDevs #VoiceTech #DeveloperLife

    11 min
  8. Episode 255 - Agonizing About Agent-to-Agent

    25/09/2025

    Episode 255 - Agonizing About Agent-to-Agent

    Join Allen Firstenberg and Noble Ackerson in a deep dive into the evolving world of AI agent protocols. In this episode of Two Voice Devs, they unpack the Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocol, comparing it with the Model Context Protocol (MCP). They explore the fundamental differences, from A2A's conversational, stateful nature to MCP's function-call-like structure. The discussion also touches on the new Agent Payment Protocol (AP2) and its potential to revolutionize how AI agents interact and transact. Is A2A the key to unlocking a future of autonomous, ambient AI? Tune in to find out! [00:01:00] What is the A2A protocol? [00:04:00] A2A vs. Model Context Protocol (MCP) [00:10:00] What does A2A bring that MCP doesn't? [00:15:00] Ambient and Autonomous Agents [00:19:00] A2A solves the "Tower of Babel" problem [00:24:00] The difference between A2A and MCP: stateful vs. stateless [00:27:00] Agent Payment Protocol (AP2) [00:33:00] What does A2A promise for autonomous agents? [00:38:00] Downsides and challenges of A2A [00:44:00] Google, Gemini, and the future of A2A #A2A #MCP #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AgentToAgent #ModelContextProtocol #TwoVoiceDevs #TechPodcast #FutureOfAI #AutonomousAgents #AIAgents #AP2 #AgentPaymentProtocol #GoogleGemini #Anthropic

    49 min
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About

Mark and Allen talk about the latest news in the VoiceFirst world from a developer point of view.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark and Allen
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    263
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mark and Allen
  • Show Website
    Two Voice Devs