Can you turn the AI receptionist off?

Yes. The AI receptionist has its own on/off switch that you control, and while it is off your inbound calls are forwarded to a number you choose instead of being answered by the AI. Set that forwarding number before you switch it off: with the receptionist off and no number saved, calls are not answered at all.

What this does

The switch is yours, and it is separate from anything we control on our side. Turning it off does not cancel anything, change your plan or lose your settings — your hours, services, staff and transfer numbers are all exactly as you left them when you switch it back on.

While it is off:

Inbound calls ring the forwarding number you saved.
The AI answers nothing, and books nothing.
Any outbound calling is stopped too.
Calls still appear in your call list, marked as not answered by the receptionist, so a quiet week is still a week you can account for.

Switch it off

Open Settings, then Phone.
Enter the number inbound calls should forward to while the receptionist is off. A mobile or the front desk line both work.
Save, then switch the AI receptionist off.

Switching it back on is the same screen. Calls go back to being answered immediately; nothing needs reconnecting.

When to use it rather than transfer

Turning it off is for stretches where you want a person on every call — a short-staffed week, a venue move, a holiday where the owner is taking calls personally.

If you only want some calls to reach a person, leave the receptionist on and use live call transfer instead. If you want it to answer only outside your opening hours, that is an answering schedule, not the off switch.

Check that it worked

Save a forwarding number and switch the receptionist off.
Call your business number from another phone. The forwarding number should ring.
Open your call list: the call is there, marked as not answered by the receptionist.
Switch it back on and call again. The receptionist should pick up.

Troubleshooting

The receptionist is off and callers hear nothing. No forwarding number is saved. With the switch off and the field empty, there is nothing to forward to and the call goes unanswered. Save a number.
It is switched on, but nothing answers. Something on our side may be holding calls — a trial that has run out, or a billing issue. Contact us; this is a different switch from yours.
Calls forward even though it is switched on. Check your answering schedule: "after hours only" means daytime calls were never meant to reach it.