OpenAI Rolling Out More Natural Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT
OpenAI today said that it has started to roll out Advanced Voice Mode to a small number of paid ChatGPT users, allowing them to test out more natural, real-time conversations.
Advanced Voice Mode allows ChatGPT to provide real-time responses that can be interrupted, plus it is able to sense and respond to humor, sarcasm, and more. The new model does not need to convert your speech to text and back again as the current ChatGPT voice does, leading to lower latency interactions.
OpenAI demonstrated Advanced Voice Mode back in May, showing off an AI voice called Sky that sounded remarkably similar to Scarlett Johansson. The voice was created and used without Johansson's permission, and she ended up releasing a statement on the situation. She said that she turned down multiple offers from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who wanted Johansson to be the voice of ChatGPT. She said she was "shocked, angered, and in disbelief" that Altman created a voice that sounded "eerily similar" to her own voice. OpenAI claimed that the Sky voice was not intended to resemble the voice of Johansson, but it was removed after she hired legal counsel.
OpenAI says that since it demoed Advanced Voice Mode, it has been working to improve the safety and quality of voice conversations. Advanced Voice Mode speaks in four preset voices and is built to block outputs that differ from those voices, preventing it from mimicking celebrity voices. OpenAI has also "implemented guardrails" to block requests for violent or copyrighted content, and the early tests will be used to improve the feature before a wider launch.
Users who have been granted access to Advanced Voice Mode will receive an email with instructions, with OpenAI planning to add more people on a rolling basis. Everyone on Plus will have access to Advanced Voice Mode in the fall.
Popular Stories
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important.
Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped.
The new ...
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year.
Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far.
Ove...
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker.
The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy.
The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026.
Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod...
A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day.
The timing of the overnight...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below.
Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
