Sylvia Duruson
OpenAI, the company behind viral AI chatbot ChatGPT, is introducing new voice and image features to enable more natural conversations. Users can now have voice-based dialogues with ChatGPT, making interactions more intuitive.
The voice capability is powered by a text-to-speech model that generates human-like audio from text and sample speech. OpenAI collaborated with voice actors to create multiple realistic voices that users can choose from. The Whisper speech recognition system transcribes the user’s words into text that ChatGPT can understand.
OpenAI expects these innovations to unlock creative applications while acknowledging risks like impersonation and fraud. To mitigate concerns, the technology currently only enables direct voice chats with ChatGPT using vetted voice models.
The image feature allows showing ChatGPT photos for context, like wardrobe shots for fashion advice. But visual models also pose challenges OpenAI is working to address, including hallucinations and unreliable image interpretations. The company tested safeguards against risks in sensitive domains and limited ChatGPT’s ability to directly analyze people.
The rollouts come as ChatGPT’s traffic has declined for three straight months since its viral launch. While visits have stabilized above pre-launch levels, the novelty has worn off somewhat. Voice and image interactions could reinvigorate interest by expanding ChatGPT’s capabilities.
However, skepticism persists around ChatGPT’s accuracy due to its limitations as an AI system trained on finite data. OpenAI admits it is not always accurate and has incorporated measures to reduce harmful responses.
The voice introduction represents OpenAI’s latest effort to make ChatGPT more versatile and user-friendly. Voice promises a more natural interface for queries and conversations compared to text alone. Image uploads likewise allow contextualizing exchanges.
However, increased intuitiveness also amplifies concerns about how generative AI could be misapplied. As with any transformative technology, mitigating risks through ethical development is crucial alongside expanding potential benefits.
