OpenAI has launched an advanced voice mode for voice chats with ChatGPT.
Jordan Novett, CNBC
ChatGPT is ready for more natural voice chats.
OpenAI announced Tuesday that its popular chatbot now has an advanced voice feature for people who pay for the premium service. The tool allows for smoother conversations.
The release will continue throughout the week. The company said it is not yet available in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the UK.
OpenAI announced the new capability in May. The rollout received significant media coverage because of a voice named Sky that sounded like Scarlett Johansson’s voice in the 2013 film “Her.” Legal counsel working on behalf of Johansson sent letters to OpenAI claiming the company did not have the rights to use the nearly identical voice, and OpenAI stopped using it in its products, CNBC reported.
For months, people have been able to configure ChatGPT to speak to them in other voices through a free tier. The advanced version responds faster and will stop talking and listen if you interrupt it. There are now nine voices to choose from, and you can enter instructions for your voice chats in the customizations section of the app’s settings.
“I hope you think it’s worth the wait,” OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.
It's an increasingly competitive space for OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft.
Over the past two weeks, Google Gemini Live has launched its own English-language voice feature on Android devices. On Monday, Reuters reported that Meta Celebrity votes will be introduced later this week and can be accessed via Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
OpenAI got a head start in the AI generative chatbot market when it launched ChatGPT in late 2022. In August, OpenAI told the media that ChatGPT had more than 200 million weekly active users.
Advanced mode is only available to those subscribed to OpenAI’s Plus, Team, or Enterprise plans. The most cost-effective option is the Plus plan for $20 per month.
Here's what you should do
If you pay, it's easy to get started, assuming OpenAI has granted access to your device.
First, make sure you have the latest version of the app on your phone.
Open the ChatGPT app.
OpenAI says you'll receive a notification in the app once access to the new feature is enabled. Tap the Continue button to get started.
Create a new conversation by swiping right or tapping the two-line icon in the top left corner and selecting ChatGPT at the top. To the right of the “Message” text field and the microphone icon, you should see a sound wave icon. Tap it and make sure audio is on.
Within a few seconds, you'll hear a slight “thump” sound, and the circle in the middle of the screen will turn into a blue and white sky-like animation. Start speaking. You should get a quick response. Don't be surprised if the audio cuts out a bit.
OpenAI says it has improved accents in some foreign languages and increased the speed of conversations. But if you don’t like what you hear, you can ask ChatGPT to speak differently. You can ask it to speed up, for example, or to incorporate a Southern accent.
With advanced voice mode, you can have ChatGPT tell you a bedtime story, help you prepare for a job interview, or even work on your foreign language skills.
But even if you pay for it, you won't get unlimited access to the advanced audio mode. After using it for about half an hour on Tuesday, I started seeing a “15 minutes left” message at the bottom of the screen.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for details on the timeline.
WATCH: Altimeter Capital's Apoorv Agrawal says OpenAI is the undisputed leader in the AI supercycle
