OpenAI delays release of ChatGPT voice mode due to technical issues

ChatGPT maker OpenAI announced Tuesday that the highly anticipated release of its Voice Mode feature will be delayed by a month, pushing the launch back to July. The company cited technical challenges as the reason for the delay.

Originally scheduled for release in late June for a select group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers, the feature promises a more realistic voice conversation experience. OpenAI said the delay was due to the need to ensure a smooth and secure user experience.

“For example, we are improving the model’s ability to detect and reject certain content,” OpenAI explained in a post on social media platform X. “We are also working to improve the user experience and prepare our infrastructure to scale to millions of users while maintaining real-time responses.”

Despite the setback, OpenAI reiterated its commitment to delivering a high-quality product. After the initial release to a limited user base to provide feedback, the company plans to make Voice Mode available to all ChatGPT Plus subscribers in the fall, contingent on successful security and reliability testing.

The news comes amid OpenAI’s broader efforts to improve ChatGPT’s capabilities. The company is also actively developing new video and screen sharing features. In May, OpenAI revealed its plans for GPT-4o, an advanced AI model that enables realistic voice interactions and seamless communication across text and images, further cementing its position in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

The new audio features allow users to have and pause real-time conversations with ChatGPT – a feature that has proven challenging with existing AI voice assistants.