OpenAI is expanding access to its Advanced Voice Mode (AVM) feature for ChatGPT, initially available to paying customers in the Plus and Teams tiers. Enterprise and Edu customers will gain access next week. AVM enhances the naturalness of conversations with the AI, now represented by a blue animated sphere, replacing the black dots from the earlier showcase in May.
Advanced Voice is rolling out to all Plus and Team users in the ChatGPT app over the course of the week.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 24, 2024
While you’ve been patiently waiting, we’ve added Custom Instructions, Memory, five new voices, and improved accents.
It can also say “Sorry I’m late” in over 50 languages. pic.twitter.com/APOqqhXtDg
As part of this rollout, five new voices, Arbor, Maple, Sol, Spruce, and Vale, have been added, bringing the total to nine. The voice names are inspired by nature, reinforcing AVM’s goal of providing a more natural user experience. Notably absent from the lineup is Sky, a voice removed after legal threats from actress Scarlett Johansson, who claimed it resembled her own voice.
Meet the five new voices. pic.twitter.com/F9BOUaJqG1
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 24, 2024
Despite the expansion, the video and screen sharing feature that allows real time processing of visual and audible information, showcased in the company's spring update, remains unavailable. There is no set timeline for when these multimodal capabilities will be launched.
The company claims it has improved AVM since its limited alpha release, with better recognition of accents and smoother, faster conversations. Glitches previously reported during testing are said to have been reduced. The feature also integrates with ChatGPT’s 'Custom Instructions and Memory functions', enabling users to personalise interactions and retain conversational context over time.