- OpenAI delayed the advanced Voice Mode release, initially set for late June, to sometime in July due to technical challenges.
- The wider release for all ChatGPT Plus subscribers might not happen until fall, depending on safety and reliability checks.
- OpenAI is using the delay to refine the model’s ability to reject inappropriate content, enhance user experience, and scale infrastructure for millions of users.
The current ChatGPT app has a basic voice mode, but OpenAI introduced a much more advanced version when it launched the GPT-4o model in May. This new iteration can express emotions like laughter, making interactions more engaging and lifelike. It gave everyone a taste of what ChatGPT could be as a voice assistant, with more natural and expressive conversations. However, despite promising a quick rollout to paid users, OpenAI has now announced a delay in releasing the upgraded “Voice Mode.”
According to OpenAI’s post on X, technical challenges have forced the company to push back the initial release, which was planned for late June. Initially, OpenAI intended to offer a limited alpha version to a select group of paid ChatGPT Plus users, but lingering issues have pushed the launch to sometime in July.
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OpenAI adds that the broader rollout of the advanced Voice Mode for all ChatGPT Plus subscribers might not happen until the fall. This wider release depends on the system meeting several internal safety and reliability standards. Meanwhile, OpenAI is using this extra time to deliver a more polished and functional user experience. For example, it’s working on refining the model’s ability to identify and reject inappropriate content to ensure responsible use. Additionally, it is optimizing the user experience and scaling the infrastructure to support millions of users while maintaining real-time responses.
The reveal of the new feature caught a lot of attention. It delivered near-instant response times, almost like talking to a human. It also handled natural conversation flow effortlessly, including interruptions.
Voice chat with ChatGPT is on mute for now, but it’s not a bad thing
The news of the delay has definitely disappointed some users, but OpenAI’s careful approach to perfecting the product before launch is commendable. Although the wait isn’t ideal, it promises a significantly more polished and reliable offering.
Fortunately, the delay doesn’t affect the upcoming release of the new video and screen-sharing features. These capabilities, highlighted at OpenAI’s spring press event, offer impressive functionalities. They can solve math problems presented visually and explain complex device settings menus. Notably, these features are designed to work seamlessly on both smartphone and desktop versions of ChatGPT, ensuring a smooth user experience across platforms.
