ChatGPT maker OpenAI announced Tuesday that the highly anticipated release of its "Voice Mode" feature will be delayed by a month, pushing the rollout to July. The company cited technical challenges as the reason for the delay.
Originally slated for a late June release to a select group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers, the feature promises a more realistic voice conversation experience. OpenAI explained the delay stems from the need to ensure a smooth and safe user experience.
"For example, we're improving the model's ability to detect and refuse certain content," OpenAI stated in a post on social media platform X. "We're also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses."
Despite the setback, OpenAI affirmed its commitment to delivering a high-quality product. Following the initial release to a limited user base for feedback, the company plans to make "Voice Mode" available to all ChatGPT Plus subscribers in the fall, contingent on successful safety and reliability checks.
The news comes amidst OpenAI's broader efforts to enhance ChatGPT's capabilities. The company is also actively developing new video and screen-sharing functionalities. In May, OpenAI unveiled its plans for GPT-4o, an advanced AI model capable of realistic voice interactions and seamless communication across text and images, further solidifying its position in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
With the new audio capabilities, users will be able to engage in real-time conversations with ChatGPT, including the ability to interrupt - a feature that has proven challenging for existing AI voice assistants.