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OpenAI Delays Rollout of Advanced ChatGPT Voice Mode

The company needs more time to make sure Voice Mode can 'detect and refuse certain content' and that OpenAI's infrastructure can handle the increase in real-time requests.

June 27, 2024
A smartphone with ChatGPT on it (Credit: Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

OpenAI confirms that it has delayed the rollout of its next-gen Voice Mode.

"We had planned to start rolling this out in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users in late June, but need one more month to reach our bar to launch," the company tweeted.

"For example, we’re improving the model’s ability to detect and refuse certain content," OpenAI says. "We’re also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses."

The statement comes after Bloomberg reported that OpenAI needed more time to address "safety issues." In its statement, OpenAI confirms that "exact [launch] timelines depend on meeting our high safety and reliability bar." But it's aiming to launch Voice Mode for ChatGPT Plus users in the fall after a test with a "small group" of alpha users.

Voice Mode is part of the GPT-4o model OpenAI announced last month, and it boasts a more humanlike back-and-forth experience than prior models. Voice Mode can sing, tell jokes, translate between various languages, and tell stories.

"ChatGPT’s advanced Voice Mode can understand and respond with emotions and non-verbal cues, moving us closer to real-time, natural conversations with AI. Our mission is to bring these new experiences to you thoughtfully," OpenAI said this week.

OpenAI also promises more details on the video- and screen-sharing capabilities it demoed at the GPT-4o reveal soon. That will let you screen-share with ChatGPT to show it what you're working on and get help.

The Voice Mode delay comes after OpenAI removed the "Sky" voice from its existing voice feature amid complaints that it used the voice of actress Scarlett Johansson without her permission.

OpenAI Reveals Its ChatGPT AI Voice Assistant
PCMag Logo OpenAI Reveals Its ChatGPT AI Voice Assistant

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Hello, my name is Joe and I am a tech blogger. My first real experience with tech came at the tender age of 6 when I started playing Final Fantasy IV (II on the SNES) on the family's living room console. As a teenager, I cobbled together my first PC build using old parts from several ancient PCs, and really started getting into things in my 20s. I served in the US Army as a broadcast journalist. Afterward, I served as a news writer for XDA-Developers before I spent 11 years as an Editor, and eventually Senior Editor, of Android Authority. I specialize in gaming, mobile tech, and PC hardware, but I enjoy pretty much anything that has electricity running through it.

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