ChatGPT Advanced Voice My Everyday Upgrade
Last fall my artist mom and I received an invitation to present at the Cambridge Science Festival discussing AI and art. This was a thrilling prospect but as I hadnt conducted an in person workshop like this before I found myself needing a way to articulate and refine my thoughts.
The solution emerged in the form of ChatGPTs advanced voice feature. Launched in the summer of 2024 this capability isnt always the most obvious application people consider.
Having been a full time creator for over a decade I continually evaluate new tools to distinguish genuine utility from mere hype. The rapid pace of ChatGPTs feature releases and upgrades from OpenAI has been a constant focus. This exploration has highlighted that many ChatGPT users are unaware of the chatbots full range of current capabilities.
(Disclosure Ziff Davis CNETs parent company in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Understanding Standard vs Advanced ChatGPT Voice
The primary distinction between ChatGPTs standard and advanced voice modes lies in their underlying technology. Standard voice employs text to speech engines while advanced voice utilizes a unified model.
With standard mode the AI first generates its response in text which is then read aloud by a separate voice tool. This can result in a voice that although decent may sound unnatural and experience delays. In contrast a unified model such as advanced voice integrates writing and speaking. As detailed on OpenAIs website the advanced voice modes multimodal model GPT 4o operates more like a human smoothly adjusting its tone.
On the ChatGPT mobile app voice interface standard mode is indicated by a black circle in the conversation screens center while advanced mode features a blue orb. Advanced mode is a premium feature though free plan users have limited daily access.
The blue orb is listening. Screenshot from Fei Wu
So what are the practical applications for a tool like ChatGPT advanced voice. Here are two methods I use to integrate it into my daily routine.
Using AI as a Strategic Sounding Board
Im particularly enthusiastic about leveraging advanced voice as a strategic thinking partner for tackling significant and complex challenges.
A notable limitation of ChatGPT is its training data cutoff which means it might lack current information or insights on niche specialized subjects. However this can be addressed by enabling specific features which can be used in conjunction with advanced voice.
My preferred ChatGPT prompt features include:
- Search Toggle this on for ChatGPT to browse the internet and retrieve online information.
- Deep Research This allows ChatGPT to conduct thorough web searches and provide detailed insights especially useful for less common topics.
- Upload Share files project briefs or other documents from your device or cloud storage by clicking the plus icon.
To use these features on a computer simply click the desired feature to enable it then activate the voice button on the right.
On desktop special features can be toggled on before you submit a prompt. Screenshot Fei Wu
Screenshot Fei Wu
Screenshot Fei Wu
To activate ChatGPT features on mobile with advanced voice follow these steps:
- Tap the slider icon.
- Select the feature to enable its icon will appear below the prompt bubble.
- Tap the advanced voice button.
- Let advanced voice respond.
- Exit the voice window after the response to view it in writing.
Web sources used for the response will be listed in the control panel.
Prompt features can be toggled on in mobile before using advanced voice. When performing web searches or deep research ChatGPT will include some sources. Screenshots Nick Wolny
Returning to the festival mentioned earlier my mom Xiang Li is the artist renowned for her extensive collection of Chinese empresses painted on silk with gemstone watercolors. When I inquired about Xiang Li Art using ChatGPTs advanced voice it promptly referenced recently updated information.
We successfully implemented several practical ideas at our Cambridge event including interactive AI powered art exploration live AI demonstrations a panel discussion and youth engagement activities all of which were very well received.
You can ask highly specific questions and follow up for more depth. I often find it more effective to treat advanced voice as a conversational partner or a sounding board for ideas rather than just a search engine.
Achieving More Nuanced Translations
Advanced voice has significantly improved communication between my partner who mainly speaks English and my mom who only speaks Mandarin Chinese making translations feel more natural.
ChatGPTs advanced voice supports over 50 languages. Its ability to think talk pause and react contributes to a more natural interaction. If youre new to using advanced voice for translation it might take some adjustment. A typical prompt I use is:
"Hey ChatGPT I have two speakers in the room Adam and my mom Xiang. Adam speaks English and Xiang speaks Mandarin Chinese. I want you to act as a translator between them. After Adams done talking please translate it into Mandarin Chinese for Mom and vice versa."
Occasional timing issues arise where ChatGPT might interrupt before a speaker finishes. To mitigate this we instructed ChatGPT to wait for the cue Go before translating. This kind of fine tuning is beneficial as individual speech patterns and intonations can make it hard for ChatGPT to determine the right moment to respond.
With regular use I've observed the feature becoming better at understanding context in complex scenarios. It now recalls information from longer conversations grasps subtle nuances and responds more accurately to emotions. I anticipate that advanced voice will continue to grow more intelligent and intuitive.
Explore ChatGPT Advanced Voice Yourself
Advanced voice is capable of addressing a wide array of questions making it a versatile asset for creativity content creation problem solving and strategic collaboration. It is currently accessible to all ChatGPT users. Free users have a daily usage limit for advanced voice while Plus Pro and Team users benefit from a significantly higher limit.
You can see my real time advanced voice demo right here on my YouTube channel. For any questions or ideas on leveraging advanced voice feel free to connect with me on YouTube and LinkedIn.
(Opinions expressed by CNET Perspectives contributors are their own.)
