diff --git a/ai-conversation/Makefile b/ai-conversation/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f4f296
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai-conversation/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+CC = gcc
+CFLAGS = -Wall -g
+TARGET = audio_capture
+SRC = audio_capture.c
+LIBS = -lavdevice -lavformat -lavcodec -lavutil -lasound
+
+$(TARGET): $(SRC)
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $(TARGET) $(SRC) $(LIBS)
+
+clean:
+	rm -f *.o $(TARGET)
+
+install-deps:
+	sudo apt install build-essential libavformat-dev libavdevice-dev libavcodec-dev libavutil-dev libasound2-dev
diff --git a/ai-conversation/README.md b/ai-conversation/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29daba2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai-conversation/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Conversation
+This proof of concept is for implementing conversational loop with AI at a low level.
+
+- [x] Capture audio
+- [ ] Use deepgram for live transcription
+- [ ] Detect final speech/turn detection
+- [ ] AI answer -> text
+- [ ] Text -> generated voice with deepgram
+- [ ] Playback on client side
+
+## Requirements
+Platform: the project is meant for Linux, specifically Ubuntu desktop.
diff --git a/ai-conversation/audio_capture b/ai-conversation/audio_capture
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..99d283e
Binary files /dev/null and b/ai-conversation/audio_capture differ
diff --git a/ai-conversation/audio_capture.c b/ai-conversation/audio_capture.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e823048
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai-conversation/audio_capture.c
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <alsa/asoundlib.h>
+#include <alsa/control.h>
+#include <alsa/pcm.h>
+
+// NOTE: find this via `arecord -l`
+#define ALSA_MIC_HARDWARE_DEVICE "hw:3"
+
+void print_pcm_state(snd_pcm_t *pcm_handle) {
+    snd_pcm_state_t state = snd_pcm_state(pcm_handle);
+    const char *state_name = snd_pcm_state_name(state);
+    printf("State of pcm handle: %s\n", state_name);
+}
+
+int main() {
+    snd_pcm_t *pcm_handle = NULL;
+
+    int err;
+    err = snd_pcm_open(&pcm_handle, ALSA_MIC_HARDWARE_DEVICE, SND_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE, 0);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        printf("unable to open pcm device");
+        return -1;
+    }
+    print_pcm_state(pcm_handle);
+
+    const char *name = snd_pcm_name(pcm_handle);
+    printf("found this device: %s\n", name);
+
+    snd_pcm_info_t *pcm_info;
+    snd_pcm_info_malloc(&pcm_info);
+    err = snd_pcm_info(pcm_handle, pcm_info);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+        printf("unable to get info of pcm device");
+        return -1;
+    }
+    name = snd_pcm_info_get_name(pcm_info);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        printf("unable to get card info");
+        snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+        snd_pcm_info_free(pcm_info);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    printf("got pcm name: %s \n", name);
+
+    print_pcm_state(pcm_handle);
+    snd_pcm_info_free(pcm_info);
+
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_t *params;
+    err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc(&params);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "unable to mallow hw params");
+        return -1;
+    }
+    err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any(pcm_handle, params);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "unable to find ranges for hw device");
+        snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+        snd_pcm_hw_params_free(params);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    uint period_size = 1024;
+    uint buffer_size = 4096;
+    uint channel_count = 1;
+    uint bytes_per_sample = 2; // FORMAT_S16_LE
+    uint samples_per_second = 48000;
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access(pcm_handle, params, SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels(pcm_handle, params, channel_count);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size(pcm_handle, params, buffer_size);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(pcm_handle, params, SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate(pcm_handle, params, samples_per_second, 0);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_set_periods(pcm_handle, params, period_size, 0);
+
+    err = snd_pcm_hw_params(pcm_handle, params);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "unable to prepare pcm\n");
+        snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+        snd_pcm_hw_params_free(params);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    print_pcm_state(pcm_handle);
+
+    err = snd_pcm_start(pcm_handle);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "unable to start pcm");
+        snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+        snd_pcm_hw_params_free(params);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    print_pcm_state(pcm_handle);
+
+    const uint seconds_to_capture = 5;
+    const uint periods_to_read = (samples_per_second * seconds_to_capture) / period_size;
+    char *buf = malloc(period_size * channel_count * bytes_per_sample);
+    uint periods_read = 0;
+    /* Read one period at a time from the hardware buffer
+    *  We set the hardware buffer to read 4096 frames.
+    *  The period size is 1024 frames.
+    *  Each period is 2048 BYTES because each frame is 2 bytes.
+    *  Each frame is 2 bytes because of 1 channel, and 16 bit format
+    */
+    while (snd_pcm_readi(pcm_handle, (void *)buf, period_size) > 0 && periods_read < periods_to_read) {
+        printf("======READING FRAMES========\n");
+
+        // Because each frame is 2 bytes (format/bit rate), cast to int16
+        int16_t *samples = (int16_t *)buf;
+        for (int i = 0; i < period_size; i++) {
+            printf("%d ", samples[i]);
+        }
+        printf("\n");
+        periods_read++;
+    }
+
+    free((void *)buf);
+    snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+    snd_pcm_hw_params_free(params);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/ai-conversation/main.c b/ai-conversation/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c4d7f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai-conversation/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main() {
+  printf("hello world \n");
+}