OpenAI has begun rolling out an upgraded Voice Mode for its ChatGPT chatbot, promising users more natural-sounding and interactive audio conversations. Initially available to a select group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers, the advanced feature is set to expand access in the coming months.
The new Voice Mode, announced recently, offers significant improvements over its predecessor. OpenAI describes the enhanced feature as providing more natural, real-time conversations, with the ability to interrupt and respond to users' emotions. Subscribers who receive early access will be notified via email and mobile app notifications.
"Advanced Voice Mode allows for more natural and interactive dialogue, responding to emotions and enabling real-time conversation changes," OpenAI said. The company plans to roll out the feature more broadly to all ChatGPT Plus users by fall 2024.
The upgrade builds on the initial Voice Mode launched in September 2023, which allowed users to engage in basic back-and-forth conversations with the chatbot. The latest version incorporates improved response understanding and speed, including the ability to change responses mid-conversation and better adhere to specific voice or tone instructions.
OpenAI has also introduced new video and screen-sharing capabilities for ChatGPT, though these features will be available at a later date. The company is focusing on refining the Voice Mode before its full release, with plans to publish a detailed report on the underlying AI model, GPT-4o, later this month.
The development of the new Voice Mode has been accompanied by rigorous testing, including input from over 100 external red teamers who evaluated the feature's performance in 45 languages. The upgraded mode also includes safeguards against generating violent or copyrighted content and ensures consistency with four preset voices, following a reduction from an original five due to feedback from actress Scarlett Johansson about the similarity of one preset to her own voice.
In addition to the Voice Mode upgrade, OpenAI is testing a new conversational search feature, SearchGPT, aiming to enhance user search experiences within ChatGPT.
The rollout of these features underscores OpenAI's commitment to advancing conversational AI technology and enhancing user interactions with its flagship chatbot.
