OpenAI has announced the expansion of its Advanced Voice Mode (AVM), enhancing the conversational experience for a broader set of ChatGPT’s paying customers. The audio feature, designed to make interactions with ChatGPT feel more natural and seamless, will initially be available to users subscribed to ChatGPT’s Plus and Teams tiers. Subsequently, Enterprise and Education customers can expect access to AVM starting next week.
As part of the rollout, AVM is receiving a significant design overhaul. The feature is now symbolized by a blue animated sphere, replacing the animated black dots that were showcased during its initial presentation in May. This visual update aims to provide a more engaging and intuitive interface for users interacting with the voice feature.
Users will be notified of AVM’s availability through a pop-up within the ChatGPT app, positioned next to the voice icon. Additionally, ChatGPT is introducing five new voices—Arbor, Maple, Sol, Spruce, and Vale—bringing the total number of available voices to nine. These new additions, all inspired by nature, complement the existing voices Breeze, Juniper, Cove, and Ember, enhancing the diversity and personalization of voice interactions. This expansion rivals competitors like Google’s Gemini Live in terms of voice variety, aiming to make conversations with ChatGPT feel more organic and relatable.
One notable omission from the new lineup is the Sky voice, which was previously showcased by OpenAI during its spring update. The Sky voice faced legal challenges from Scarlett Johansson, who alleged that its tone closely resembled her own voice used in the film “Her.” In response to the legal threat, OpenAI promptly removed the Sky voice, asserting that it was never intended to mimic Johansson’s voice, despite internal references to the movie during its development.
Another feature absent from the current AVM rollout is ChatGPT’s video and screen sharing capabilities introduced in the spring update. This multimodal feature allows GPT-4 to process visual and audible information simultaneously, enabling real-time interactions with content displayed on users’ screens. During demonstrations, users could engage with ChatGPT to solve math problems on paper or debug code on their computers. However, OpenAI has not yet provided a timeline for the official release of these capabilities, leaving users eager for further advancements.
Despite these missing elements, OpenAI has made notable improvements to AVM since its limited alpha test. The company reports enhanced understanding of various accents and smoother, faster conversation flows. While initial tests revealed some glitches, OpenAI claims significant progress has been made to refine the feature, ensuring a more reliable and enjoyable user experience.
In addition to voice enhancements, OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT’s customization options within AVM. The integration of Custom Instructions allows users to personalize how ChatGPT responds, tailoring interactions to better suit individual preferences and needs. Furthermore, the Memory feature enables ChatGPT to retain conversational context, allowing for more coherent and contextually relevant responses in ongoing dialogues.
An OpenAI spokesperson noted that AVM is not yet available in several regions, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Users in these areas will need to wait until OpenAI extends the feature’s availability to their respective markets.
The introduction of Advanced Voice Mode marks a significant step forward in OpenAI’s mission to enhance the interactivity and accessibility of ChatGPT. By providing a more natural conversational experience and expanding voice options, OpenAI aims to make AI-driven interactions more intuitive and user-friendly. As AVM becomes available to a wider audience, users can look forward to more dynamic and personalized engagements with ChatGPT, further bridging the gap between human and machine communication.
Your First 10 AI Skills
10 practical AI skills, copy-paste prompts and a 7-day plan to start using AI with confidence.
Download the guide →