Abstract: This disclosure describes an invention that that mutes specific talkers using at least one beamforming microphone array 102 that is configured to generate N audio signals 108 where each audio signal is associated with a spatial pickup pattern 130, the microphone array(s) 102 are located in a room 200; a processor 104 and memory 105 operably coupled to the microphone array 102, the processor 104 configured to execute the following steps: (a) selectively mute or unmute an individual talker the room with a mute function 106 that controls whether to mute or unmute the individual talker T1-T7 that is picked up by one or more of the individual audio signals, the mute function 106 includes speech learning that learns to identify different talkers in real time to allow the mute function 106 to identify transitions from one talker to another talker in the room 200, (b) output an audio signal 110 based on the selective muting of the talkers T1-T7 in the room 200.