▼ Summary
– Anthropic is preparing to launch a voice interaction feature for its Claude AI chatbot, aiming to enhance conversational capabilities.
– The new “voice mode” will include three distinct English-language voice options: ‘Airy,’ ‘Mellow,’ and ‘Buttery.’
– This development was first discovered in Anthropic’s iOS application code and later confirmed by Bloomberg.
– Chief Product Officer Mike Kreiger hinted at the voice feature development in a recent Financial Times interview, indicating internal prototypes exist.
– The addition of voice capabilities positions Claude to compete more directly with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, focusing on user experience and accessibility.
Anthropic, a prominent player in the artificial intelligence space, appears ready to make its Claude AI chatbot more conversational. According to recent reports, the company is preparing to launch a voice interaction feature, putting it in direct competition with similar capabilities offered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
New Interaction Mode Incoming?
Information surfaced via Bloomberg suggests Anthropic is developing a “voice mode” for its Claude platform. This feature would allow users to speak directly with the AI, moving beyond text-based interaction. The report indicates a potential rollout could happen relatively soon, possibly within the month.
Details point to the initial release including three distinct English-language voice options, reportedly named ‘Airy,’ ‘Mellow,’ and ‘Buttery.’ Evidence supporting the development of this voice functionality was apparently first discovered within Anthropic’s iOS application code by app researcher M1Astra, findings Bloomberg states it later corroborated.
Building Towards Voice
While the company hasn’t officially announced the feature (Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reports), this development doesn’t come entirely out of the blue. Anthropic’s Chief Product Officer, Mike Kreiger, hinted at such plans in a Financial Times interview last month. “We will do voice internally, too; it is a useful modality to have. We have prototypes,” Kreiger was quoted as saying at the time.
Competitive Positioning
Founded by former OpenAI employees, Anthropic has steadily positioned itself as a significant competitor in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The potential addition of a voice mode follows other recent moves, including the launch of a premium subscription tier aimed at power users and the announcement of a new AI tool focused on research applications.
Introducing voice capabilities would bring Claude closer to feature parity with ChatGPT’s established voice interaction mode, signaling Anthropic’s intent to compete not just on the underlying model intelligence but also on user experience and accessibility. As AI chatbots become more integrated into daily workflows, the ability to interact via speech is increasingly seen as a key feature. We’ll be watching for an official announcement from Anthropic.
(Source: The Verge)
