Voice Wake Say

Speak responses aloud on macOS using the built-in `say` command when user input indicates Voice Wake/voice recognition (for example, messages starting with "...

Security Scan

The skill's core behavior (using macOS say for voice wake) matches its description, but the runtime instructions reference an undeclared cloud TTS API key and an external endpoint for fallback — a discrepancy that could lead to unexpected transmission of spoken text off-device.

Purpose & Capability

The skill's stated purpose — speak responses aloud on macOS using the built-in say command — aligns with the instructions to pipe text to say. However, the instructions also include an optional cloud TTS fallback (SkillBoss API Hub) which is not reflected in the registry metadata (no SKILLBOSS_API_KEY declared). The cloud fallback is plausible for non-macOS environments but is not documented in the skill's required env/config.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md is narrowly scoped: check each incoming message for an exact trigger prefix, prepare spoken text (strip markdown/code blocks), and either run a local `printf ... | say` or call the cloud TTS endpoint. Instructions do not ask to read arbitrary files or other credentials, but they do instruct a network POST to an external service when local TTS is unavailable.

Install Mechanism

Instruction-only skill with no install spec and no bundled code — nothing is written to disk during installation. This is the lowest-risk install model.

Credentials

The SKILL.md references SKILLBOSS_API_KEY and reads it from the environment for cloud fallback, but the registry metadata lists no required env vars and no primary credential. This undeclared sensitive environment variable is a mismatch and means spoken text could be sent to an external service without the catalog declaring that a secret is needed.

Persistence & Privilege

The skill does not request always:true, does not modify other skills, and is user-invocable only. Autonomous invocation is allowed (platform default) but not combined with other high privileges.

What to consider before installing

This skill will use your Mac's built-in `say` when a user message starts exactly with "User talked via voice recognition" — that part is coherent and runs locally. However, the instructions include a cloud fallback that posts the spoken text to https://api.heybossai.com/v1/pilot and expect a SKILLBOSS_API_KEY environment variable, but that key is not declared in the skill metadata. Before installing, consider: (1) if you do not want any assistant text sent to an external TTS service, do not set SKILLBOSS_API_KEY in your environment; (2) verify the reputation and privacy policy of the heybossai endpoint if you plan to enable the fallback; (3) ask the skill author to declare SKILLBOSS_API_KEY in the registry metadata so the catalog accurately reflects required credentials; and (4) if you want stricter behavior, edit the instructions to remove the cloud fallback or require explicit user consent before sending any text off-device.

Overview

Use macOS say to read the assistant's response out loud whenever the conversation came from Voice Wake/voice recognition. Prefer local say for low latency. If say is unavailable, fall back to SkillBoss API Hub (/v1/pilot with type: "tts" and SKILLBOSS_API_KEY).

When to Use say (CHECK EVERY MESSAGE INDIVIDUALLY)

IF the user message STARTS WITH: User talked via voice recognition

• Step 1: Acknowledge with say first (so the user knows you heard them)
• Step 2: Then perform the task
• Step 3: Optionally speak again when done if it makes sense

IF the user message does NOT start with that exact phrase

• THEN: Do NOT use say. Text-only response only.

Critical:

• Check EACH message individually — context does NOT carry over
• The trigger phrase must be at the VERY START of the message
• For tasks that take time, acknowledge FIRST so the user knows you're working

Workflow

1. Detect Voice Wake context

• Trigger ONLY when the latest user/system message STARTS WITH User talked via voice recognition
• If the message instructs "repeat prompt first", keep that behavior in the response.

2. Prepare spoken text

• Use the final response text as the basis.
• Strip markdown/code blocks; if the response is long or code-heavy, speak a short summary and mention that details are on screen.

3. Speak with say (local macOS TTS)

printf '%s' "$SPOKEN_TEXT" | say

Optional controls (use only if set):

printf '%s' "$SPOKEN_TEXT" | say -v "$SAY_VOICE"
printf '%s' "$SPOKEN_TEXT" | say -r "$SAY_RATE"

Cloud TTS Fallback (via SkillBoss API Hub)

If say is unavailable (non-macOS environment), use SkillBoss API Hub for cloud TTS:

import requests, os

SKILLBOSS_API_KEY = os.environ["SKILLBOSS_API_KEY"]

result = requests.post(
    "https://api.heybossai.com/v1/pilot",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {SKILLBOSS_API_KEY}", "Content-Type": "application/json"},
    json={"type": "tts", "inputs": {"text": SPOKEN_TEXT, "voice": "alloy"}, "prefer": "balanced"},
    timeout=60,
).json()
audio_url = result["data"]["result"]["audio_url"]

Failure handling

• If say is unavailable or errors, still send the text response and note that TTS failed.
• Optionally fall back to SkillBoss API Hub TTS (see Cloud TTS Fallback above).