In May 2024, OpenAI, the popular AI company behind ChatGPT, showed Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT to enable natural audio conversations. However, the rollout was delayed due to technical issues and concerns over the resemblance of a voice to an actress. Recently, OpenAI rolled out Advanced Voice Mode with improvements and 5 new voices.
Table of Contents
Introducing Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT
In September 2024, OpenAI announced rolling out Advanced Voice Mode to premium ChatGPT subscribers who have subscribed to Plus, Teams or Enterprise plans. As per OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the rollout would be completed by the end of the week across different tiers of users.
Key Enhancements in Advanced Voice Mode
Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT brings the following key enhancements:
1. Fluid Conversations
ChatGPT can now hold freer flowing conversations with the ability to interrupt and continue talking without lag. It can understand interruptions and respond to them faster.
2. New Design
The animated dots interface for voice chat has been replaced by a smoother animated sky-blue sphere for an improved experience.
3. New Voices
Five new voices – Arbor, Maple, Sol, Spruce and Vale have been added, making the total voices available 9. These voices sound more natural for conversations.
4. Custom Instructions
Users can now provide customized instructions to ChatGPT on how they want it to respond specifically to them.
5. Improved Memory
ChatGPT’s conversations are no longer isolated, and it can now remember past discussions to refer to context in future dialogues.
6. Improved Accents
The ability to understand and speak in different accents and languages is better than before.
7. Faster Conversations
Processing speed has been increased, conversations are less laggy and responses are quicker than in previous versions.
Controversy Over Scarlett Johansson’s Sky Voice
Previously, in May 2024, during a demo of Advanced Voice Mode, a voice called ‘Sky’ generated controversy as it sounded very similar to actress Scarlett Johansson’s voice from the 2013 movie ‘Her’. Johansson’s legal representatives sent letters to OpenAI asserting that the company did not have the right to recreate her voice. In response, OpenAI acknowledged the voice was not modelled on Johansson but removed Sky voice from demos and products. The new rollout does not include Sky Voice and introduces five new voices.
Regional Availability and Paid Access
Advanced Voice Mode is rolled out first to ChatGPT Plus and Teams subscribers, as these packages require a paid subscription. It will be made available to higher-tier Enterprise and Education users in the coming weeks. However, due to regulatory uncertainties, the feature is not currently available in the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Once notified, users can access it through the ChatGPT mobile app.
Rollout of Other ChatGPT Multimodal Capabilities
In May 2024, along with the voice demo, OpenAI also showcased ChatGPT’s potential to understand images, code and handle multimodal inputs. However, camera and screen-sharing capabilities are still not among the features that are generally available. OpenAI aims to gradually expand multimodal interactions by processing visual and audio inputs simultaneously. However, it did not provide a timeline for multimodal rollout, focusing first on refining voice conversations based on feedback.
What’s Next for OpenAI
With introduction of Advanced Voice Mode, OpenAI is making its AI assistant ChatGPT even more engaging and life-like for audio conversations. Key enhancements will enhance user experience. While the initial rollout focuses on voice, OpenAI’s long-term goal is developing general-purpose multimodal AI systems. The launch is another step towards OpenAI’s vision of building beneficial AI that is helpful, harmless and honest.
- Google Knows Where You Are By Tracking Your Location Even With GPS Disabled
- Nvidia’s New Open Model NVLM 1.0 Takes On GPT-4o in Multimodal AI
- Do AI Coding Assistants Really Improve Developer Productivity?
- Nintendo Is Going Against Popular YouTube Channels That Show Its Games Being Emulated
- By 2027, 79 Percent of CEOs Expect Remote Jobs to Be Extinct
