OpenAI has been developing intriguing enhancements for ChatGPT, with indications showing that the platform may soon introduce eight additional voices. The voices, unearthed via reverse engineering by a select group of engineers, have not been made accessible to everyone just yet. The finding has ignited interest and prompted inquiries about the potential impact of these new voices on the user experience.
At present, ChatGPT provides four voice choices – Breeze, Cove, Ember, and Juniper, while the Sky voice option has been eliminated as it was too similar to a famous actress (Scarlett Johansson). Users discovered the new voices after spotting a “read aloud” icon in a beta release of the ChatGPT web app. After more research, these users discovered eight unique voices, each having its codename. This finding has prompted discussions on whether or when these voices will be officially made public.
Preview of the new ChatGPT voices (animal sounds)
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— Tibor Blaho (@btibor91) September 1, 2024
ChatGPT is getting eight new voices
The recently found voices are said to be more authentic and emotive compared to the existing choices. They also have improved abilities to imitate non-verbal sounds and react to text styling such as italics and bolding. Chatbot’s voice responses are enriched with different voices, each adding a special touch. Here is the list of names of the new voices:
- Fathom
- Glimmer
- Harp
- Maple
- Orbit
- Rainbow
- Reef
- Ridge
- Vale
According to various reports, these voices could provide a more interactive and interesting experience, although OpenAI has not confirmed a specific release date. Although the uncovering of these voices has sparked enthusiasm, there are also concerns about their incorporation into ChatGPT. The existing dropdown menu cannot accommodate eight more voices, indicating a major update may be coming soon. Nonetheless, the specific timing and execution of these voices are still uncertain without an official announcement from OpenAI.
Caution with new voices following the Scarlett Johansson controversy
The decision to remove the Sky Voice due to its similarity to Scarlett Johansson highlights OpenAI’s cautious approach to avoiding potential legal or ethical complications. Given this precedent, it is likely that the company will ensure that the newly discovered voices do not resemble any real-life celebrities or public figures, thereby reducing the risk of similar issues.
At the moment, users must be patient to determine if these voices will be integrated into their ChatGPT interactions. The excitement increases as the AI community closely monitors for any new updates from OpenAI.
Featured image credit: Howard Lake / Flickr
