Deepgram buys Daily, the maker of the open-source Pipecat

Deepgram, a voice AI firm that makes voice models, said on Thursday that it is to buy Daily. Daily makes Pipecat, an open-source framework that links speech-to-text, language models and text-to-speech and lowers the wait time. Daily also hosts voice and video calls. The firms did not give the price. Deepgram keeps Pipecat open source.

How it works

Pipecat manages voice and video streams and the models in the pipeline. Deepgram also launches Real-Time Context Standard (RCS), an open protocol made with the Pipecat team. It carries context from the audio, such as a whisper, and guidance on how a reply must sound.

The numbers

Daily has raised more than $62 million, PitchBook data shows. In 2026 Deepgram raised $130 million in a Series C. The deal price is not public. The source gives no test results.

What is not known

Daily co-founder Kwindla Kramer says Deepgram CEO Scott Stephenson promised to keep Pipecat open and neutral forever. Stephenson says Deepgram wants developers to use the best models, also from other firms. The source does not say how this promise is kept.

Insight: Deepgram buys the middle layer, not another model

Stephenson says developers can use partner models in Pipecat. In October 2026, Mistral launched its own voice models and an agent SDK (a kit for software makers). This reads as a race for the neutral layer: if most voice agents use Pipecat, Deepgram can set the standard and sell models on top. Look at if other firms use RCS.