OpenAI’s voice mode launches on ChatGPT desktop app
▼ Summary
– OpenAI updated its ChatGPT desktop app to support ChatGPT Voice, allowing users to speak commands to control AI agents and perform tasks on their computer.
– The feature uses OpenAI’s new ChatGPT-Live voice models, launched earlier this month, and works with ChatGPT Work and Codex.
– On macOS, ChatGPT Voice can use Appshots to access on-screen content, including alt-text, and can look up websites and apps.
– The desktop update enables users to dictate complex, multi-step commands and respond to ChatGPT’s requests for input, unlike the smartphone version which was limited to smoother conversations.
– Anthropic also updated its voice mode for Claude, enabling task completion in apps like Gmail, Calendar, Slack, Notion, and Canva using Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku models.
OpenAI has officially rolled out its ChatGPT Voice feature to the desktop version of its app, marking a significant upgrade in how users can interact with AI agents through spoken commands. Announced on Thursday, this update enables users to talk directly to the app to control AI agents and execute various tasks on their computers, bridging the gap between voice interaction and desktop productivity.
The feature is powered by OpenAI’s new ChatGPT-Live voice models, which launched earlier this month. These models are designed to handle real-time conversations with smoother interruptions and more natural back-and-forth dialogue. In the desktop app, ChatGPT Voice integrates with both ChatGPT Work and Codex, allowing users to issue complex, multi-step commands verbally. For example, a developer in a demo video asked ChatGPT to create a new thread, make a pull request, and find the root cause for a bug,all in a single spoken request.
Additionally, the desktop version can tap into computer use skills to look up websites and apps. On macOS, users can enable Appshots, granting the app access to what’s on their screen, including alt-text, for more context-aware assistance. This is a notable leap from the smartphone version, which launched earlier with smoother conversation handling but lacked the ability to take direct actions on the phone.
OpenAI also confirmed that users can access ChatGPT Voice in Codex from the iOS app through remote access, extending the feature’s reach. Meanwhile, competitor Anthropic has updated its own voice mode for Claude, which can leverage its Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku models to complete tasks in popular apps like Gmail, Calendar, Slack, Notion, and Canva.
The rollout of ChatGPT Voice on desktop is now global, giving users a hands-free way to direct multiple agents, dictate commands, and coordinate work within the app. As OpenAI continues to refine its voice capabilities, this update positions voice as a central interface for complex, multi-step desktop tasks.
(Source: TechCrunch)
