Adding a conversational AI agent to a mobile app used to take weeks. With VideoSDK, you can have a voice-enabled AI agent talking to your users in a live Android session in just a few steps.

No separate backend. No model wiring. Just your Android app and a deployed agent.

What You'll Build

By the end of this guide, your Android app will:

  • Join a real-time meeting room
  • Automatically invite an AI agent into that room
  • Let users talk to the agent using their microphone
  • Show live transcriptions of the conversation

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • An Android device or emulator running Android 8.0 (API 26+)
  • Android Studio with JDK 17
  • A VideoSDK account (sign up free)

Step 1: Create Your AI Agent on the Dashboard

You don't need to write any agent code. Head to the VideoSDK Agents Dashboard and:

  1. Click Create Agent
  2. Give it a name and set its instructions (personality, tone, what it should do)
  3. Choose a pipeline (Realtime for low-latency voice)
  4. Hit Deploy

Once deployed, copy the Agent ID from the JSON editor on the agent's page. You'll need it shortly.

Step 2: Clone the Starter App

git clone https://github.com/videosdk-live/agent-starter-app-android.git
cd agent-starter-app-android

Open the folder in Android Studio and let Gradle sync finish.

Step 3: Add Your Credentials

Copy the example config file:

cp local.properties.example local.properties

Open local.properties and fill in your values:

authToken=your_videosdk_auth_token
agentId=your_agent_id
meetingId=        # optional, leave blank to auto-create
versionId=        # optional, leave blank to use the latest version

You can get your authToken from the VideoSDK Dashboard.

Step 4: Run the App

Connect a physical device or start an emulator (API 26+), then hit Run in Android Studio or run:

./gradlew installDebug

Grant microphone permissions when prompted. Your AI agent will join the meeting room automatically and start the conversation.

What Happens Under the Hood

When the app starts, it calls VideoSDK's Dispatch API with your agentId. VideoSDK spins up the agent and drops it into the same meeting room as your user. From there it's a live voice conversation: the agent listens, responds, and the app shows a real-time transcript.

Use Cases

This pattern works well for a range of Android apps:

  • Customer support - Let users speak to an AI assistant instead of filling out forms
  • Voice-first interfaces - Build apps where users navigate entirely by talking
  • Interview or quiz tools - An agent can ask questions and evaluate responses in real time
  • Language learning - Conversational practice with an AI partner
  • Accessibility tools - Give users with limited motor control a hands-free way to interact

Conclusion

With VideoSDK, adding a voice AI agent to your Android app comes down to four steps: create an agent on the dashboard, clone the starter repo, drop in your credentials, and run. No model hosting, no audio pipeline setup, no extra infrastructure.

The starter app gives you voice, live transcription, screen sharing, and device controls out of the box so you can focus on building the experience, not the plumbing.

Next Steps and Resources