> Source: https://docs.virtuo.in/vio/getting-started/create-agent
> Create an AI voice agent in Vio from an industry template or from scratch, then tailor its persona, voice, and the data it collects.

# 2. Create an agent

An **agent** is the AI that talks on the call — its voice, its greeting, its instructions,
and the things it should collect or do. The fastest way to a good agent is to start from an
**industry template** and tweak it.

<Steps>

### Open Agents → New

In the dashboard sidebar, open **Agents** and click **New**. You'll be offered three paths:

- **Use a template** — pick an industry × job (see below); the prompt, greeting, voice, and
  collected fields are pre-filled and ready to go live.
- **Use & tailor** — start from a template, then open the AI prompt generator to customise
  it in a short back-and-forth.
- **Blank** — start from an empty agent and write everything yourself.

### Pick a template

Templates are curated per industry and job, so the agent already knows how to behave:

| Industry | Templates |
|---|---|
| Real estate | Lead Qualifier · Site-Visit Booker |
| Automobiles | Sales & Test-Drive · Service Booking |
| Hospitals | Appointment · Help-Desk |
| E-commerce | Support |
| Professional services | Lead Qualifier |

<Callout type="info">
Every template ships with a valid voice and a working prompt, so a templated agent will
always speak — you can go live first and refine later. See [**Industry
templates**](/vio/agents/templates) for the full catalog.
</Callout>

### Tune it

Open the agent and walk the editor tabs — at minimum set the **Persona** (greeting +
system prompt) and confirm the **Voice**. Everything else has a sensible default:

- [**Engines & voices**](/vio/agents/engines-and-voices) — how the agent sounds and how much
  a minute costs.
- [**Persona & prompt**](/vio/agents/persona) — the greeting and the agent's instructions.
- [**Variables**](/vio/agents/variables) — the data you want captured from each caller.

### Where to next

Your agent needs a phone line to answer or dial.

→ Continue to [**3. Connect a phone number**](/vio/getting-started/connect-a-number).

</Steps>