ChatGPT’s voice feature is the conversational assistant I’ve been longing for
By Nelson Aguilar | Published: 2025-11-03 18:30:00 | Source: CNET
I’ve been using voice assistants for years, and while they were helpful, I was always frustrated when they would cut me off mid-sentence, or completely get what I was saying wrong. I wasn’t optimistic when I checked ChatGPT’s audio mode, and I’ve never been more thrilled to be wrong. Audio mode not only means I’m talking to a chatbot, but it sounds like a real conversation.
It captures pauses, vague thoughts, and even those filler words like “uhhh” without interrupting the flow. Whether I’m driving, cooking, or trying to multitask, I can talk naturally and get useful answers without having to pick up my phone. Not only is it faster than typing, it feels easier, more intuitive, and more efficient. If you haven’t tried it yet, this is why ChatGPT’s voice mode might become your favorite way to use AI.
Don’t miss it: What is ChatGPT? Everything you need to know about Chatbot AI
ChatGPT, from OpenAI, isn’t the only hands-free chatbot. Google’s Gemini Live service offers the same “talk to me, I’ll keep going” vibe. Anthropic’s Claude has a beta of its voice mode on its mobile apps, complete with on-screen dots as you speak, and Perplexity’s iOS and Android assistant also answers spoken questions and launches apps like OpenTable or Uber on-demand.
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But even as everyone races to master real-time AI chat, ChatGPT remains my favorite choice. Whatever chatbot you choose, take a break from typing and try the voice option. It’s much more useful than you think.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that it infringed Ziff Davis’s copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
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What exactly is Voice Mode?
Voice Chat (or “Voice Chats”) is ChatGPT’s hands-free mode that lets you talk to an AI model and hear it speak to you, without having to type. There’s a voice icon that you’ll find in the mobile app, desktop, and web at the bottom left of any conversation you’re participating in. If you press the button, you can say your question out loud and ChatGPT will write it down, think about it, and respond. Once he’s finished talking, he starts listening again, creating a natural back-and-forth dialogue.
Just remember: Voice mode runs on the same large language model as regular ChatGPT, so it can still hallucinate or get facts wrong. You should always double-check anything important.
OpenAI offers two versions of these voice conversations: Standard sound (Default light is free) and Advanced sound (Only available to paid users).
Standard Voice first converts your speech to text and processes it using GPT-4o (and GPT-4o mini), which takes a little longer to respond to you. Advanced audio, on the other hand, uses multimodal models, which means it “hears” you and generates the audio, so the conversation is more natural and takes place in real time. It can pick up on cues other than the words themselves, such as the speed at which you speak or the emotion in your voice, and adapt to that.
Note: Free users have access to a daily preview of advanced audio.
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7 reasons why you should start using ChatGPT’s voice mode feature
1. It’s a real conversation
Unlike typing, when I talk to ChatGPT, I don’t look for the right word or backspace after every typo. I just talk, as I would to any friend or family member, full of “ummmmms” and “likes” and other awkward pauses. However, Voice Mode flows with all my unfinished thoughts, responding with either a fully detailed answer or a question to help me focus on what I need. This easy give and take feels more natural than writing.
2. You can use ChatGPT hands-free
Obviously, I still need to open the ChatGPT app and tap the voice mode button to get started, but once I get started, I no longer have to use my hands to continue the conversation with the AI chatbot. I could be stuck in traffic thinking about a vacation I want to take later this year. I can ask about flights, hotels, landmarks, restaurants, and anything else, without touching my phone, and that conversation is saved within the app, so I don’t have to remember everything ChatGPT tells me.
3. It is useful for learning a new language through real-time translation
I mentioned earlier that I use audio mode to practice languages, and it’s the audio mode that it excels at. I can speak English and have ChatGPT respond in flawless Polish, complete with pronunciation tips. Just ask Voice Mode, “Can you help me practice (my language)” and it will respond in several ways that can help you, such as starting a conversation, basic vocabulary, or numbers. It remembers where you left off, so you can somehow take lessons; No need for Duolingo.
4. Get answers about things you see in the real world
This feature is exclusive to Advanced Voice, but this is probably my favorite feature with Voice Mode. With its super multimedia powers, I can turn on my phone’s camera or take a video/picture and ask ChatGPT to help me. For example, I had difficulty identifying a painting I found in a thrift store, and the owner had no idea where it came from. I opened voice chat, turned on the camera and asked voice mode where the panel was coming from. In seconds, he could tell me the title of the painting, the artist’s name, and when it had been painted.
5. It is a better choice for people with certain disabilities
For anyone with low vision or dyslexia, speaking definitely beats writing. Voice mode can record your speech and then read your answer out loud at any speed you choose (you can adjust this in your settings or ask ChatGPT to slow down). The hands-free option also helps anyone with challenges with motor skills, because all you have to do is one tap to start and another tap to stop, without having to type extensively on the keyboard.
6. Brainstorm faster
Sometimes I get a bunch of ideas, and I’m thinking faster than I can type, so ChatGPT’s voice mode is perfect for brainstorming story ideas, figuring out a new layout for my living room or identifying interesting meals to cook throughout the week. Because I’m thinking out loud instead of staring at my phone, my ideas flow easier and faster, especially with ChatGPT’s instant tracking. It helps keep momentum going so I have a polished idea for whatever I’m brainstorming.
7. Instant summaries you can listen to
Drop a 90-page PDF into chat, like a movie script or textbook, ask for a summary and have the AI read it out loud to you while you fold your laundry. It’s like turning any document (I even create Wikipedia pages) into a podcast – on demand.
Audio Mode isn’t just a cool trick; It’s a fast and more natural way to use ChatGPT. Whether you’re translating street signs, brainstorming ideas, or following the news out loud, talking to ChatGPT is less like using a chatbot and more like having a conversation with a mini-expert. Once you get used to thinking out loud, you may never go back to the keyboard.
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