Olivier Pailhès, co-founder of Aircall, has returned as the company's chief executive officer. He replaces Scott Chancellor, though the press release did not specify reasons for the leadership change or Chancellor's next steps.

Pailhès served as CEO from the company's founding in 2014 until 2023, remaining on the board during his absence. He stated that artificial intelligence presents a significant opportunity to bring voice technology back to the center of customer conversations.

Aircall reports having grown substantially since Pailhès last led the company. It now serves more than 24,000 customers across over 100 countries. Annual recurring revenue has surpassed $250 million. The platform enables sales and support teams to manage calls, SMS messages, and WhatsApp communications through a single interface.

The company originally launched cloud phone systems for businesses before adding AI call transcription features. In April 2025, Aircall introduced its AI Voice Agent product, which can answer incoming calls autonomously. Earlier this year, the company acquired two startups to strengthen this capability: Vogent, a voice AI firm, and Piper AI, which updates CRM records and scores sales deals based on conversation data.

According to Pailhès, these agents should handle repetitive tasks, allowing human staff to focus on complex customer needs. However, he emphasized that call quality and reliability remain critical factors for usability.

The company acknowledged potential issues with current AI voice technology, noting that some agents may drop calls, mishear addresses, or route customers incorrectly. Such failures could cost businesses more than they save.

Other companies are also advancing in the voice AI space. Deepgram announced an acquisition of Pipecat maker Daily earlier this week. Vapi recently secured $50 million in Series B funding for enterprise voice agents. Zendesk and Sierra have suggested AI agents should be compensated based on results rather than per seat licensing.