OpenAI has announced an update to its ChatGPT platform, integrating the voice mode directly within the main chat interface. The change, revealed on Tuesday, allows users to engage in voice conversations with the AI chatbot while simultaneously viewing its text responses, shared images, and other visuals in real time, eliminating the need to switch to a separate dedicated voice screen.
Previously, engaging with ChatGPT's voice mode redirected users to a distinct interface, characterized by an animated blue circle. During these interactions, users could only listen to the chatbot's verbal replies, requiring a return to the text-based mode to review missed responses or view visual content. This prior setup included a mute button, a live video recording option, and an "X" button to revert to the default text interface.
With the new update, users can speak to ChatGPT and observe the AI's answers appearing as text on the screen concurrently. This integration extends to reviewing earlier messages within the conversation and displaying visuals such as images or maps in real time during a voice interaction, according to statements from OpenAI. The company has confirmed that this revamped voice mode is now the default experience and is being rolled out to all users across both mobile and web applications.
The modification aims to facilitate a more fluid interaction between speech and text within a single chat session. Users will, however, still be required to tap an "end" button to conclude a voice conversation before fully transitioning back to text input. For individuals who prefer the previous, separate voice interface, OpenAI stated that an option to enable "Separate mode" remains available within the "Voice Mode" section of the chatbot's settings.
