OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode for More Natural Conversations

OpenAI says its AI voice assistant is now better to chat with | TechCrunch

OpenAI released updates Monday for Advanced Voice Mode, its AI voice feature that enables real-time conversations in ChatGPT, to make the AI assistant more personable and interrupt users less frequently. Manuka Stratta, an OpenAI post-training researcher, announced the changes in a video posted Monday to the company's official social media channels. OpenAI's latest update aims to address a frequent problem with AI voice assistants, which will interrupt users when they pause to think or take a deep breath. Free users of ChatGPT now have access to a new version of Advanced Voice Mode that lets users pause, without being interrupted, when speaking to the AI assistant. Paying users of ChatGPT -- including subscribers to OpenAI's Plus, Teams, Edu, Business, and Pro tiers -- will also now get less frequent interruptions when using Advanced Voice Mode, as well as an improved personality for the voice assistant. An OpenAI spokesperson tells TechCrunch its new AI voice assistant for paying users is "more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative in its answers." The improvements to Advanced Voice Mode come amid intense pressure from competitors in the AI voice assistant space. Sesame -- an Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup created by Oculus cofounder Brendan Iribe -- recently went viral for its natural-sounding AI voice assistants, Maya and Miles. Larger players are also stepping more aggressively into the AI voice assistant space, such as Amazon, which is readying the release of its LLM-powered version of Alexa.

I tried ChatGPT's new Advanced Voice Mode update - here's what changed

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode was the first major AI-powered voice assistant to mimic a human conversation, addressing typical voice assistant shortcomings. The latest update makes the conversation experience even more seamless and natural. What's new with Advanced Voice Mode? On Monday, OpenAI shared a video announcing the latest Advanced Voice Mode update, which enhances its human-like conversational capabilities, allowing it to interrupt you less when you are talking. This allows you to pause as you are thinking while speaking without the assistant assuming your train of thought is over or cutting you off. Also: How to use ChatGPT's Voice Mode (and why you'll want to) Although Advanced Voice Mode has had this ability since its release, sometimes it would prematurely cut you off, making it a bit more challenging to have a multi-turn conversation than if you were talking to a human. In the demo video, you can pause the speaker for extended periods of time, and ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode actively listens until she is done with her thought. The AI voice assistant was also updated to have more personality, which OpenAI describes as "more engaging, direct, and concise." With this update, it is meant to sound more "natural" and less robotic. This difference seems very subtle, ultimately coming down to a matter of preference. Trying the new Advanced Voice Mode Ever since I mapped my iPhone 16 Pro's action button to ChatGPT, I have been open about how much I rely on the AI voice assistant for everyday tasks at least once a day. As a result, when this update was announced, I was excited to try it out since I was already a fan of the pre-update version. Also: Forget the new Siri: Here's the advanced AI I use on my iPhone instead The experience loaded as usual when I activated it, so I wasn't even sure I got the update. However, when I said an initial prompt, I noticed that the AI assistant waited longer than it typically would to respond. This wasn't done in an unnatural way but rather in a way that didn't feel rushed. When I asked about the update, it said it has received the ability to chat more naturally. I followed up by asking exactly what that meant, and it responded, "I mean, I can respond in a way that feels more like a real conversation. I can adapt my tone, ask follow-up questions, and just generally keep things flowing more smoothly!" Also: OpenAI research suggests heavy ChatGPT use might make you feel lonelier The adapting tone feature was particularly noteworthy, as it is usually the missing element when talking to these AI assistants -- that it can't replicate from conversations with a human. To test it out, I told it that I was both feeling down and then feeling optimistic. In the different situations, it adjusted its voice to be more gentle and understanding, and then chirpy and upbeat. How to access yourself All users can access the update that makes Advanced Voice Mode interrupt you less, regardless of whether they have a subscription. The update that improves the model's personality is only available to paid subscribers. Either way, to get started chatting, you have to click on the lack wave icon to the right of the message box on ChatGPT to start chatting.

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode gets a big upgrade (for free users, too)

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode was the first major AI-powered voice assistant to mimic a human conversation, addressing typical voice assistant shortcomings. The latest update makes the conversation experience even more seamless and natural. On Monday, OpenAI shared a video announcing the latest Advanced Voice Mode update, which enhances its human-like conversational capabilities, allowing it to interrupt you less when you are talking. This allows you to pause as you are thinking while speaking without the assistant assuming your train of thought is over or cutting you off. Also: How to use ChatGPT's Voice Mode (and why you'll want to) Although Advanced Voice Mode has had this ability since its release, sometimes it would prematurely cut you off, making it a bit more challenging to have a multi-turn conversation than if you were talking to a human. In the demo video, you can pause the speaker for extended periods of time, and ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode actively listens until she is done with her thought. The AI voice assistant was also updated to have more personality, which OpenAI describes as "more engaging, direct, and concise." With this update, it is meant to sound more "natural" and less robotic. This difference seems very subtle, ultimately coming down to a matter of preference. Ever since I mapped my iPhone 16 Pro's action button to ChatGPT, I have been open about how much I rely on the AI voice assistant for everyday tasks at least once a day. As a result, when this update was announced, I was excited to try it out since I was already a fan of the pre-update version. Also: Forget the new Siri: Here's the advanced AI I use on my iPhone instead The experience loaded as usual when I activated it, so I wasn't even sure I got the update. However, when I said an initial prompt, I noticed that the AI assistant waited longer than it typically would to respond. This wasn't done in an unnatural way but rather in a way that didn't feel rushed. When I asked about the update, it said it has received the ability to chat more naturally. I followed up by asking exactly what that meant, and it responded, "I mean, I can respond in a way that feels more like a real conversation. I can adapt my tone, ask follow-up questions, and just generally keep things flowing more smoothly!" Also: OpenAI research suggests heavy ChatGPT use might make you feel lonelier The adapting tone feature was particularly noteworthy, as it is usually the missing element when talking to these AI assistants -- that it can't replicate from conversations with a human. To test it out, I told it that I was both feeling down and then feeling optimistic. In the different situations, it adjusted its voice to be more gentle and understanding, and then chirpy and upbeat. All users can access the update that makes Advanced Voice Mode interrupt you less, regardless of whether they have a subscription. The update that improves the model's personality is only available to paid subscribers. Either way, to get started chatting, you have to click on the lack wave icon to the right of the message box on ChatGPT to start chatting.

ChatGPT now speaks even more naturally with fewer interruptions

OpenAI has updated ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode feature, promising a more realistic and pleasant conversation experience. OpenAI has updated ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode feature, promising a more natural conversation experience. The aim is to make the AI-powered assistant more pleasant to talk to and less prone to interrupting you mid-sentence. In a video posted on the OpenAI YouTube channel on Monday, researcher Manuka Stratta showed off the improvements. One of the most common annoyances with voice assistants is that they tend to interrupt you when you pause to think. That's now been fixed here. Free ChatGPT users will now have access to an updated version of the voice mode where they can speak freely and pause without being interrupted. Paid ChatGPT users will also get a voice assistant with better personalization and fewer interruptions, TechCrunch reports. According to OpenAI, the improved chatbot is now "more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative in its responses." The update comes at a time when competition is heating up in the AI voice space. Sesame, founded by Brendan Iribe (formerly of Oculus), has recently gotten a lot of attention for its naturally speaking assistants Maya and Miles. It was so good that it actually freaked out PCWorld's Mark Hachman when he gave it a try. Amazon is also working on a new version of Alexa that's based on a large language model. In other words, AI chatbots and assistants are not only getting better at hearing, but also learning to listen and response more naturally.

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode just got a free upgrade -- here's what's new

It'd be fair to say that ChatGPT remains the first model many think of when they consider Artificial Intelligence, and while OpenAI must be thrilled at the way the word "ChatGPT" has almost become a verb, the company isn't resting on its laurels. Advanced Voice Mode is a key pillar of the experience, and OpenAI has given it a once over. The update, announced earlier this week, will see the model feel much more conversational, but at no extra charge for existing customers. Revealed via OpenAI post-training researcher Manuka Stratta in the YouTube video above, the idea is that Advanced Voice Mode won't try to jump in and interject if you leave a pause anymore. "The model interrupts you less, so you'll have more time to gather your thoughts and not feel like you have to fill in all the gaps and silences all the time," Stratta explains. Demonstrating the new model, Stratta strikes up a conversation with ChatGPT while adding in pauses in places where they don't make sense. The model adjusts its responses accordingly, letting Stratta finish her thoughts before starting its own speech. Removing the friction from interacting with chatbots is a big step towards more natural conversations. The update is free for all users of ChatGPT, but ChatGPT Plus subscribers also gain access to a more personable version. Rolled out at the end of last year, Advanced Voice Mode utilizes the GPT-4o model, which combines text, vision, and audio processing for faster, more efficient responses.

Talking to ChatGPT just got better, and you don't need to pay to access the new functionality

ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode just got even better with an upgrade to the voice assistant that makes chatting to AI more natural than ever before. The free update, which has already started rolling out, has a more engaging, natural tone of voice and will interrupt you less, allowing for conversations to flow better. The update was announced by Manuka Stratta, an OpenAI post-training researcher, who revealed the upgrade in a demo on the company's social media. She says "The model interrupts you less, so you'll have more time to gather your thoughts and not feel like you have to fill in all the gaps and silences all the time." In the demo, she started a conversation with Advanced Voice Mode and talked slowly with intentional awkward silences. Impressively, ChatGPT was able to listen and respond at the end of her speech, rather than interrupt during one of the lengthy pauses. The update showcases another step forward for AI chatbots that allows for even more natural conversation and allows you to spend less time thinking about how to communicate with AI and just letting you chat like you would with a friend. The new version of Advanced Voice Mode with less interrupting is available to all free users and ChatGPT Plus subscribers will get the same upgrade as well as access to the improved voice assistant personality. Phone a friend If you've ever wanted to chat with AI, now might be the perfect time to try. AI voice assistants are getting better by the day, and companies like ChatGPT and Google are constantly improving their offerings to enhance the user experience. While I haven't tested this upgraded version of ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode yet, I was already impressed with the previous iterations. Chatting with AI can often feel less robotic and more engaging. OpenAI also offers a version of Advanced Voice Mode that you can give camera access to, allowing the AI to essentially see and respond to queries based on what you show it. ChatGPT continues to improve at a rapid rate, and these additions to its voice mode only further that trend. You might also like

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode now has a 'better personality'

If you find that ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode is a little too keen to jump in when you're engaged in a conversation, then you'll be pleased to know that the latest update should bring an end to such unwanted interruptions. OpenAI post-training researcher Manuka Stratta said in a video posted on Monday that the update gives Advanced Voice Mode a "better personality," adding that the AI-powered tool will now "interrupt you much less ... [and] because it interrupts you less, you'll be able to have more time to gather your thoughts and not feel like you have to fill in all the gaps and silences all the time." Recommended Videos Stratta added that the update also gives ChatGPT's voice mode a more engaging and natural tone, making it more direct and concise. OpenAI released Advanced Voice Mode for select ChatGPT Plus subscribers in May last year before expanding access to all Plus users in September. Then, last November, OpenAI rolled out Advanced Voice Mode to all Pro and free users, giving everyone the opportunity to interact with ChatGPT using voice input through the mobile app. To use Advanced Voice Mode, simply open the app and tap on the sound-wave icon that appears on the screen beside the microphone icon. You'll then see a circle appear on the screen, indicating that ChatGPT is listening. You're now ready to engage in a conversation with "someone" that sounds very much like a real person but, don't forget, is actually generative AI doing its thing. Also, to ensure that your privacy is properly protected, avoid sharing highly personal information during your chats. Free users use an Advanced Voice Mode powered by the GPT-4o mini AI model, with usage limited to a length of time that can change daily. Those on the $20-a-month Plus tier can have much longer conversations, and use the more advanced GPT-4o model, which should produce better results in terms of elements like understanding, response quality, and reasoning. Subscribers to the $200-a-month Pro tier, meanwhile, can chat to their heart's content, though you might want to keep an eye on just how much time you spend chatting with your AI-powered buddy.

ChatGPT just got way less interrupt-y

OpenAI rolled out updates to its Advanced Voice Mode in ChatGPT on Monday, aiming for more natural, less interruptive real-time conversations. The update addresses a common issue where the AI assistant would cut in when users paused to think or breathe. Manuka Stratta, a post-training researcher at OpenAI, revealed the changes in a video posted on the company's social media channels. The new version of Advanced Voice Mode is now available to all ChatGPT users. Free users can now speak without constant interruptions, and paying subscribers (Plus, Teams, Edu, Business, and Pro tiers) will experience fewer interruptions and an upgraded personality for the assistant. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the updated AI voice assistant for paying users delivers responses that are "more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative." These improvements arrive as competition heats up in the AI voice assistant arena. Startups like Sesame, backed by Andreessen Horowitz and co-founded by Oculus co-founder Brendan Iribe, have gained attention with their natural-sounding AI voices, Maya and Miles. Meanwhile, major players like Amazon are moving forward, with plans to release an LLM-powered version of Alexa.

OpenAI Says It's Making ChatGPT Voice Assistant Sound More Like A Human And It Won't Interrupt As Much - SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBF), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

On Monday, OpenAI rolled out updates to ChatGPT's voice assistant, positioning itself as a serious contender against rivals like Amazon.com, Inc.'s AMZN Alexa and AI startup Sesame. What Happened: OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT is designed to make the AI assistant more personable, responsive, and less likely to interrupt users mid-sentence. Manuka Stratta, a post-training researcher at OpenAI, explained the changes in a video posted on YouTube. "Because it interrupts you less, you'll be able to have more time to gather your thoughts and not feel like you have to fill in all the gaps and silences all the time," she stated. The update improves the assistant's ability to handle real-time voice interactions, addressing a common user complaint that voice AI models often jump in too soon when users pause. See Also: Ex-OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever's AI Startup Valued At $30 Billion In Latest Funding Round: Report Free users will now be able to pause mid-conversation without being interrupted while paying subscribers -- including those on the Plus, Teams, Edu, Business, and Pro plans -- will receive a more advanced version. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Why It's Important: The update comes amid growing competition in the AI voice assistant space. OpenAI faces pressure from new entrants like Sesame -- an Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup that went viral for its natural-sounding AI voices, Maya and Miles -- and Amazon, which is preparing a large language model-powered upgrade to Alexa, noted TechCrunch. Meanwhile, SoftBank Group SFTBF SFTBY is reportedly negotiating to spearhead a fresh investment round for OpenAI, which could bring in $40 billion. If finalized, this funding would value the ChatGPT maker at $300 billion, marking a record-setting deal for a privately held company. Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Apple's iPad Turns 15 Today: Here's A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The 'Third Category' After Phones And Notebooks Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. AMZNAmazon.com Inc$203.173.55%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum72.35Growth94.56Quality72.41Value49.59Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewSFTBFSoftBank Group Corp$62.2719.6%SFTBYSoftBank Group Corp$27.533.69%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

ChatGPT's New Voice Update Reduces Interruptions for Better Chats

OpenAI launched new capabilities to ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode as part of its interface development project. The system upgrades focus on improving the AI assistant's performance and reducing disruptive behaviour towards users. Free and paid subscribers can access the implemented free enhancements for better interaction between ChatGPT during conversations. The latest software version enhances the AI's personality while delivering direct and concise user interactions. The updated system reduces interruptions between users and their AI assistants, resulting in natural, flowing communication. New programming in the system alleviates user frustration about AI software interruptions occurring during moments of thought or breathing pauses. OpenAI expressed that the new system allows users to process thoughts between statements. Users benefit from more laid-back dialogue because they do not feel compelled to speak during moments of silence. Manuka Stratta, a research expert from , reported that voice assistant technology now adopts a conversational style, which improves its compatibility with human interactions.