Anthropic Launches Voice Mode for Claude AI, Expands Web Search to Free Users

Anthropic launches a voice mode for Claude | TechCrunch

Anthropic has begun to roll out a "voice mode" for its Claude chatbot apps. The voice mode allows Claude mobile app users to have "complete spoken conversations with Claude," and will arrive in English over the next few weeks, according to Anthropic's official account on X and updated documentation on the company's website. At least one user on X reports having gained access to voice mode late Tuesday. By default, it's powered by Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4 model. "Voice mode ... enables you to speak to Claude and hear responses through voice, making it easier to use Claude when your hands are busy but your mind isn't," reads a support page. "Voice mode transforms how you interact with Claude by ... displaying key points on-screen as Claude speaks [and] allowing you to speak to Claude and hear Claude's voice responses." A number of AI companies, including OpenAI, offer voice chat experiences for their respective chatbots. Google, for example, has Gemini Live, while xAI has Voice Mode for Grok. Each lets users interact with bots by speaking instead of typing, making conversations feel more natural and intuitive. With Anthropic's flavor of voice mode, users can chat about things like documents and images, and choose from five distinct voice options. Users can also switch between text and voice on the fly, and see a transcript and summary following conversations. The capability has certain limits. Voice conversations count toward regular usage caps -- Anthropic says that 20-30 conversations is what most free users can expect. Moreover, only paid Claude subscribers can take advantage of a Google Workspace connector that allows voice mode to access Google Calendar appointments and Gmail emails (Google Docs integration is exclusive to Claude Enterprise plans). Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger confirmed the company was working on voice capabilities for Claude in an interview with the Financial Times in early March. According to the report, Anthropic was holding talks with Amazon, the company's major investor and partner, and voice-focused AI startup ElevenLabs, to possibly drive future voice features for Claude. It's unclear which of those partnerships, if any, came to fruition.

Claude's AI voice mode is finally rolling out - for free. Here's what you can do with it

Chatting with your favorite AI is often livelier, more convenient, and easier when you can carry on an actual voice conversation instead of typing at a prompt. Now Claude AI is joining the likes of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot with a voice mode all its own. On Tuesday, Anthropic announced that voice mode is now rolling out in beta to the Claude iOS and Android apps. Available in English, the feature will land on all Claude AI plans, even the freebie, over the next few weeks. Yes, this means you'll be able to kick off a voice conversation with the AI and then continue with your back-and-forth banter. Also: Anthropic's latest Claude AI models are here - and you can try one for free today I often use voice mode in other AIs, especially ChatGPT and Copilot. I like this hands-free method of chatting with a personable and informative bot (especially ones with a British accent). I can ask questions, research topics, generate content, and more. A transcript of the conversation is available so I can refer to it afterward. Since voice mode is just now rolling out to Claude AI, I don't yet have it on my iPhone or Android devices, so I can't take it for a spin. Likewise, you may have to wait a while for it to appear. But based on a new support article from Anthropic, here's how it works. Open the Claude app on your mobile device. If voice mode has arrived on your end, you'll see a new sound-wave symbol next to the microphone icon. The first time you tap that symbol, you can choose from different voices and options to customize your chat partner. Then just start talking, and Claude will respond using your chosen voice. Also: Claude AI can do your research and handle your emails now - here's how As you carry on your conversation, Claude will display key points while it speaks. You can easily switch between text and voice within the same conversation. Claude Pro and Claude Max subscribers will also be able to integrate content from web searches, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Gmail into their voice conversations. During your chat, certain controls will pop up. Tapping the up arrow sends a voice message to Claude. Tapping the stop button interrupts Claude so you can chime in. Tapping the plus sign accesses the camera, your photo library, or your files. To exit the conversation, just tap the X. And to change Claude's voice, head to Settings and choose Voice Preferences. Voice mode suggestions Though you can chat with Claude for any reason or intent, Anthropic offers the following suggestions for your next conversation: Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Anthropic brings web search to free Claude users

Anthropic is continuing to trickle down features to its free users. The latest one to make the leap out of subscriber-only mode is web search, which the company to its AI chatbot Claude in March. According to Anthropic, connecting Claude to the web allows it to deliver more accurate responses based on the most up-to-date information available online. This feature is available to all Claude users starting today. In addition, Anthropic has begun beta tests for voice mode on its mobile apps. This option lets users interact with Claude in natural conversations in an expansion of the platform's existing dictation tools. There will be five voice options available to assign to Claude, and the AI assistant can provide full transcripts and voice mode summaries after a conversation. May has been a busy month for Anthropic, which just launched last week. Opus 4 is a powerful coding-focused system that can use multiple tools in parallel and can run for several hours at a time, while Sonnet 4 is a hybrid reasoning model designed to move between quick queries and more complex ones. The current beta testing of voice mode will default to Sonnet 4.

Claude 4 just got a massively useful upgrade -- and it puts ChatGPT and Gemini on notice

Anthropic isn't holding back. The creators of the Claude AI chatbot have released a string of big updates recently, most notably the 4th version of their software, and they are showing no signs of slowing down with the news of a voice mode and web search now being added to the list. Voice mode is a feature that has been seen rolling out across all of the big AI systems. ChatGPT and Gemini have both been pushing the feature heavily in recent months, especially with Gemini's integration on Android devices. This technology lets you have a more fluid conversation with a chatbot. Instead of having to type your prompts and messages, you can chat to it, discussing your requests back and forth. For Claude, this will first be available in beta testing for all mobile users over the next couple of weeks. Voice mode will automatically use Claude Sonnet 4 as its model of choice and will only be available in English, at least for now. However, Anthropic has reported that it will be available across all plans and apps on both Android and iOS. It will also have five different voice options, all with somewhat bizarre names: Buttery, Airy, Mellow, Glassy, and Rounded. During the voice chat, you can switch between modes, going back and forth between voice and text and, like its competitors, Claude will be able to discuss documents, images and complex information by voice. This allows you to upload files or take photos as you speak or even film your surroundings. While this is available on all plans, those on Pro plans or anything higher will also get access to a feature called knowledge integration. This gives Claude access to your emails, calendars, documents, and web searches to give the voice assistant more to work with. Along with the introduction of voice mode, Anthropic has also revealed that web search is now available on all plans. This was previously a paid for feature, giving Claude the ability to search the web to answer requests. This gives access to breaking news, current market trends and any real-time data Claude can pull from the internet. Like the voice mode, this is a feature becoming increasingly popular, already seen on Google Gemini, ChatGPT and some of Claude's other big competitors. Just last week, Anthropic revealed Claude 4 -- the latest version of its AI technology. This brought Claude back into the running, even putting it up against Gemini 2.5 Pro, an also recently released model that has been at the top of the leaderboards for testing. This update brought new abilities for Claude to write and edit code, and allows Claude to think more carefully through prompts, similar to the deep research move we're seeing across the board in AI right now. The release included two new models: Claude 4 Opus and Claude 4 Sonnet. When we put this latest version up against Gemini 2.5 Pro in testing, while it was close, Claude did secure the win. However, while Claude seems to be on top right now, with the speed the AI world moves at the title could soon go to someone else.

Anthropic debuts Claude conversational voice mode on mobile that searches your Google Docs, Drive, Calendar

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More San Francisco AI startup Anthropic has more up its sleeve than the new Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4 large language models announced last week -- today it has unveiled two major updates for its similarly named Claude AI chatbot: a new conversational voice mode available on its mobile apps in the Apple App Store (iOS devices, iPhones) and Google Play Store (Android devices). In addition, the AI startup that rivals OpenAI (and was formed by some of its defectors) is also extending web search to all users on free plans. These updates aim to make Claude more versatile and accessible to a wider audience. "Early implementation of voice but something that I've already found very fun and useful," wrote Alex Albert, Anthropic's Head of Claude Relations, on the social network X. "Let us know how you like it (the good and the bad) so we can make it much better in the future!" However, Claude's conversational voice interface is limited to English for now, and there has not yet been mention of API support for the feature, nor web support -- meaning it is restricted to individual mobile app users for now. Hitting OpenAI where it hurts The new Claude voice mode is said to be rolling out over the next few weeks to all mobile app users, according to Anthropic. While rival OpenAI has offered a conversational voice mode on ChatGPT since late 2023 and upgraded it significantly several times, Claude's new conversational mode brings it up to parity and then some, offering features OpenAI does not. As shown in a promotional video posted on X, users of Claude's mobile apps can now ask via the conversational voice interface for Claude to check their Google Calendars, Gmail, and Google Docs for specific information that the chatbot will summarize and read back to them audibly, including upcoming appointments and presentation materials. While the conversational interface and web search are available to users of Claude's free tier, the integration with outside apps and tools are available for only for paying subscribers to Claude Pro ($20 per month or $214.99 per year up-front) and Claude Max ($100 monthly per user). As with OpenAI, users can choose from differing voice options -- in Claude's case, they're known as "Buttery, Airy, Mellow, Glassy, and Rounded" -- each with distinct tones, accents, and conversational quirks. Voice conversations generate full transcripts and voice mode summaries. Additionally, Claude provides visual notes that capture key insights from each discussion, giving users an easy way to review and revisit important points. Seamless transitions between text and voice, plus rich media support One notable feature of voice mode is the ability to switch seamlessly between text and voice interactions without losing conversation context. This flexibility supports different user preferences and use cases. Beyond spoken dialogue, voice mode also handles rich media interactions. Users can discuss documents, images, and complex information using voice commands while Claude maintains the conversational flow. This allows for deeper engagement with content and easier access to insights. For Pro Plan users and above, voice mode also integrates personal information sources -- such as emails, calendar events, and documents -- alongside real-time web search results. This combination of data sources offers a more comprehensive and actionable conversational experience. Web search for all In parallel with the voice mode rollout, Anthropic has expanded access to web search by making it available to all users on free plans. This new capability enables Claude to draw on real-time internet data, offering fresher and more accurate responses to questions about breaking news, market trends, and other dynamic topics. Web search for free plans adds to Claude's growing toolkit of integrations and knowledge resources, making it easier for users to get relevant answers and stay up to date. Anthropic's broader vision Anthropic notes that voice technology isn't new territory for the company. Beyond the speech-to-text features in Claude's mobile apps, Anthropic also powers Amazon's Alexa+ and Otter AI's transcription services. These experiences inform the development of the new voice mode and its potential to integrate with other parts of the user's digital life. These updates join a broader suite of enhancements to Claude, including the launch of Claude 4, integrations with Google Workspace, and expanded research capabilities. A push toward more versatile user interactivity Anthropic highlighted the ease with which users can start a voice conversation and ask Claude to summarize calendar entries or search for documents -- demonstrating the platform's expanded capabilities. Anthropic has also shared media assets to provide additional resources for users interested in learning more about the updates. With the rollout of voice mode in beta and web search now included for free plans, Anthropic continues to broaden the functionality and accessibility of Claude's AI services. These updates represent another step forward in making conversational AI more adaptable and relevant to users' daily tasks.

Claude AI adds a genuinely useful voice mode to its mobile app that can look inside your inbox and calendar

Voice mode will also be available on the free tier, but with usage limitations Claude, the popular AI chatbot from Anthropic, is rolling out a voice mode to all its mobile app users. Whilst still in beta, the new voice mode will be in English and accessible for users on all current plans, including the free plan. Voice mode with Claude works just like voice mode in Gemini or ChatGPT. In fact, you tap on an icon that looks pretty much identical to the Gemini Live icon to activate it. Once voice mode is activated, you just start talking to Claude to hear its voice responses. As it talks, it displays its key points on screen, which enables you to seamlessly switch between text and voice within the same conversation. You get five different Claude voices to choose from, according to the Claude voice mode documentation, and you can change between them at any time by simply going to Settings, then Voice Preferences. You can get a preview of how voice mode will work in Claude thanks to a handy video Anthropic has posted on X.com: The video demonstrates how, by simply talking to Claude (even while brushing your teeth) you can get the AI to check your calendar, search through your Gmail inbox or Google Drive, and even draft an email for you. This kind of ability moves Claude firmly into the role of a digital assistant however it's worth noting that Gmail and Google Calendar integrations are only available on Claude's paid plans, which start at $20 (around £16 / AU$32)for a Pro account, and go up to $200 (around £148 / AU$311) a month for Max 20x. You don't get unlimited access to voice conversations in Claude. Each conversation counts towards your regular usage limits based on your subscription plan. Free users of Claude can expect approximately 20-30 voice messages before reaching session limits, while paid plans have significantly higher limits. Voice mode is a timely upgrade to Claude, which was lagging behind its rivals, ChatGPT and Gemini, by not providing a voice mode. Anthropic has also just updated Claude's LLM to Claude Opus 4.0 and Claude Sonnet 4.0. Opus 4.0 is a powerful AI model that excels at coding, while Sonnet is a lightweight model designed for regular use and a big improvement on the previous Sonnet 3.7 model.

Anthropic's Web Search Now Available to Free Claude Users | AIM

Now, anyone in the world, with or without a subscription, can use the web search feature on Claude. Anthropic has announced the availability of web search capability to all Claude users on its free plan, alongside the beta launch of its voice mode in its mobile apps. The announcement marks a fresh push to make Claude more interactive and context-aware, key factors in staying competitive in a crowded AI assistant market. The move comes shortly after the release of the Claude 4 model family, which includes Claude Sonnet 4 and Opus 4. Claude Opus 4's performance on coding benchmarks appears impressive on paper. It achieved 72.5% on SWE-bench and 43.2% on Terminal-bench. These models introduced advanced tool usage, long-context memory, and performance boosts, particularly in software engineering tasks. However, as rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini gained traction with built-in voice assistants and real-time information retrieval, Claude needed to close the gap further. With the new web search update, Claude joins the ranks of assistants that can pull fresh information from the internet on demand. However, it was initially available to paid users in select regions and then rolled out to others. Now, anyone in the world, with or without a subscription, can use the web search feature. Users can toggle it on in settings and allow Claude to fetch data in real time, enhancing its ability to answer questions, summarise trends, or assist in live research. AIM verified the same. Meanwhile, the voice mode, still in beta, is rolling out across mobile devices. It seems to feature a tap-to-interact feature to interrupt voice interaction and supports English conversations. Moves like these signal a strong comeback strategy after recent user losses. As the voice interface becomes standard in AI competition, Claude's beta voice mode may help regain user interest, especially if it can match or exceed the stability and coherence of its rivals. Whether this will be enough to hold ground against fast-moving competitors remains to be seen.

You can now speak to Claude AI as its voice mode rolls out

Anthropic has initiated the rollout of a voice mode, currently in beta, for its Claude chatbot mobile applications. The voice mode will allow users to engage in spoken conversations with Claude. According to Anthropic's official account on X and updated documentation, the feature will be available in English within the coming weeks. One user on X reported access to the voice mode on Tuesday, which is powered by the Claude Sonnet 4 model by default. A support page states that voice mode facilitates interaction with Claude when users' hands are occupied. It displays key points on-screen as Claude speaks and enables conversational voice responses. Anthropic's X account posted: "We're rolling out voice mode in beta on mobile. Try starting a voice conversation and asking Claude to summarize your calendar or search your docs." Other AI companies, including OpenAI, Google, and xAI, offer voice chat experiences for their chatbots. Google offers Gemini Live, while xAI has Voice Mode for Grok. These features enable users to interact via speech instead of text. Anthropic's voice mode allows users to discuss documents and images, with a selection of five voice options. Users can switch between text and voice during conversations and access a transcript and summary afterward. Voice conversations are subject to regular usage caps. Anthropic estimates that free users can expect 20-30 conversations. Paid Claude subscribers gain access to a Google Workspace connector that allows voice mode to access Google Calendar appointments and Gmail emails. Google Docs integration, however, is exclusive to Claude Enterprise plans. Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger confirmed that the company was developing voice capabilities for Claude in an interview with the Financial Times in early March. The report stated that Anthropic was in discussions with Amazon and ElevenLabs to potentially develop future voice features for Claude. It is unclear whether these partnerships have materialized.

Anthropic's Claude Has a New Voice That Can Connect to Your Calendar. Here's How

Anthropic, the fast-growing AI company behind the Claude family of AI models, has added a new voice mode to its consumer-facing mobile app. The voice mode, which is currently rolling out in beta to free and paid Claude users, can search the web and -- exclusive for those with paid plans -- connect to Google Workspace. Claude's voice mode comes several months after Anthropic's chief rival, OpenAI, debuted its own natural-sounding AI voices on the ChatGPT app. Famously, OpenAI was forced to remove one voice from its roster after actress Scarlett Johansson accused the company of cloning her voice without permission. Claude's new voice runs on Claude 4 Sonnet, the company's mid-sized AI model that was recently announced at the company's "Code with Claude" event, according to an Anthropic spokesperson. The spokesperson also said that those selected for the beta will be able to choose between three voices; one that sounds like a British man, another like an American woman, and a third that sounds like an Indian woman. According to official documentation from Anthropic, Claude's voice mode will be available to both free and paid members, with free members getting roughly 20-30 voice messages before hitting a limit.

You Can Now Have Two-Way Voice Conversations With Anthropic's Claude

Anthropic is finally adding Voice Mode capability to its Claude chatbot. On Tuesday, the artificial intelligence (AI) firm announced the rollout of the real-time two-way voice conversation feature, which will be available in Claude's mobile apps. Similar to its recently released web search feature, the company is late to the voice mode party, with major competitors such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Microsoft's Copilot already offering this feature. Anthropic is currently rolling out the feature to all users of Claude, but some premium features are only available to paid subscribers. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the official handle of Anthropic announced the release of the Voice Mode feature. It is currently available in beta and supports only the English language. Claude users will get the feature in the mobile apps in the next few weeks. Describing the feature on its support page, the company said, "Voice mode allows you to have complete spoken conversations with Claude on your iOS and Android devices." It is essentially a real-time two-way voice conversation feature, similar to Gemini Live and ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode. Based on a demo shared by the company, the voice is not expressive, but it is also not a text-to-speech (TTS)-like robotic voice. Claude responds fluently, but in a neutral tone. One unique aspect of Claude's Voice Mode is that users can see the key points from the conversation on the screen while conversing with the AI. Users can also switch between text and voice modes within the same conversation, without interrupting the flow. Paid subscribers can also access their Google Docs, Calendar, Gmail, and web searches via voice conversations. To use the feature, users will have to open the Claude mobile app and tap on the Voice Mode button (sound wave icon next to the microphone icon) located within the text field. Users will then be able to choose from several voice options. Once they have picked their preferred voice, users can begin a voice conversation. The Voice Mode interface comes with several new buttons. Once a user has spoken the message, they will need to tap the up arrow to send the message to Claude. The stop square interrupts Claude's response. The plus icon opens the camera, photos, or files, and the X button exits voice mode. Notably, those on the free tier of Claude will be able to send roughly 20-30 voice messages before hitting a session limit. This limit will refresh daily.

Anthropic Begins Adding Voice Mode to AI Assistant Claude | PYMNTS.com

"Try starting a voice conversation and asking Claude to summarize your calendar or search your docs," the company said when announcing the feature in a Tuesday (May 27) post on X. Voice mode in beta is available in English and is coming to all the company's subscription plans "in the next few weeks," Anthropic added in another post on X. AI voice features promise more natural and personalized interactions, PYMNTS reported in September. "This isn't just about convenience -- it's about creating real, human connections between brands and customers," Valentin Radu, founder of Omniconvert, told PYMNTS at the time. Generative AI is experiencing rapid growth across generations at a time when voice assistant adoption is stagnating, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, "GenAI and Voice Assistants: Adoption and Trust Across Generations." The report found that there is hope that integrating GenAI could revive voice assistant usage, particularly as Gen Z leads voice assistant usage through smartphones. Anthropic also announced in a Tuesday post on X that web search -- the capability introduced in March that enables Claude to search the web -- is now available to all Claude users on the company's free plan. When announcing the launch of web search in feature preview for paid Claude users in the U.S. in March, Anthropic said Claude's ability to search the internet would enable the AI assistant to provide more up-to-date and relevant responses. "Instead of finding search results yourself, Claude processes and delivers relevant sources in a conversational format," the company said at the time in a press release. "This enhancement expands Claude's extensive knowledge base with real-time insights, providing answers based on more current information." Anthropic said Thursday (May 22) that it introduced the next generation models of its AI models, Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4. "These models advance our customers' AI strategies across the board: Opus 4 pushes boundaries in coding, research, writing and scientific discovery, while Sonnet 4 brings frontier performance to everyday use cases as an instant upgrade from Sonnet 3.7," the firm said in an announcement.

Anthropic Launches Voice Mode for Claude: Here's What's New

Pro and Team users gain Google Workspace integration for seamless productivity. Anthropic just dropped a beta version of Voice Mode for their Claude chatbot. It's all about making talking to AI way more natural and easy. Users who already have the app on their or phones, can now just chat with it. The idea is to make getting stuff done simpler by using voice communication. Plus, there are five different voices to pick from, and it works with . It's a fresh take on how we interact with AI. So, let's check out what it can do, what it can't, and what it all means.

Talk to Claude: Anthropic's AI gets voice chat feature, how it works

Compare Claude AI voice chat features with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok assistants. Anthropic has released a voice chat feature for its Claude AI assistant, now available in beta on iOS and Android devices. This addition allows users to have spoken conversations with Claude, providing a more flexible way to interact with the assistant. The feature is designed to support hands-free communication and can be used for a range of tasks, such as planning, research, or general information queries. Powered by the Claude Sonnet 4 model, the voice chat supports real-time spoken interaction. Users can select from five different voice personalities, offering some level of customization. The system also allows for seamless switching between text and voice inputs during a conversation, maintaining full conversational context regardless of input method. This functionality can be useful in situations where users prefer or require an alternative to typing. Also read: Claude 4 Explained: Anthropic's Thoughtful AI, Opus and Sonnet To begin using voice chat, users must download the Claude mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After signing in or creating an account, users can start a new conversation and activate voice mode by tapping the sound wave icon next to the microphone in the input field. Once voice mode is enabled, users are prompted to choose a voice. They can then tap and hold the microphone button to speak and release it when finished. Claude responds using the selected voice. Users can also stop a response mid-way or attach media - such as images or documents - by tapping the plus icon within the chat interface. Voice and text input can be used interchangeably without disrupting the flow of the conversation. Each voice session includes a transcript and a summary, which appear in the app after the conversation ends. These features allow users to reference or review information later. The app is designed to support interactions with documents and images, as well as access to media tools like the phone's camera. Also read: Is AI replacing entry-level tech jobs? Here's what reports suggest Claude voice chat includes features aimed at productivity. In addition to real-time dialogue, the assistant displays key points from the conversation on-screen and generates a written summary and full transcript at the end. This may be useful for users managing tasks, gathering research, or reviewing discussion points after a session. Paid subscribers can integrate Claude with Google Workspace apps, including Gmail and Google Calendar. Enterprise users receive additional integration with Google Docs. These integrations allow users to access and manage certain aspects of their accounts using voice commands. Media interaction - such as uploading files or using the device's camera - is also supported during conversations. Claude's voice mode is currently limited to English and is only accessible through the mobile app. Web and API versions do not yet support voice functionality. Free-tier users are limited to approximately 20 to 30 voice messages per month, while paid plans offer higher usage limits along with expanded features. Claude Voice Mode offers a range of features comparable to other major AI voice assistants such as ChatGPT Voice by OpenAI, Gemini Live by Google, and Grok by xAI. It includes five voice personalities, supports seamless switching between voice and text input, and provides transcripts and summaries after each session. Unlike some competitors, Claude offers media interaction - such as discussing documents and images - and integrates with Google Workspace for paid users. While all platforms support some level of free voice usage, Claude's free tier allows around 20 to 30 voice messages per month, with higher limits available on paid plans. Anthropic's voice chat feature for Claude offers an alternative mode of interaction for users who prefer or benefit from spoken communication. With customizable voice options, support for media and productivity tools, and integration with widely used services like Google Workspace, the feature expands the ways users can engage with AI on mobile devices. While still limited to English and mobile platforms, it represents a step toward more versatile and accessible AI interaction. Have you given Claude voice chat a try yet? What do you think about the experience? Let us know in the comments below.