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CNET
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
2 Ways I'm Using ChatGPT Advanced Voice to Improve My Life
Last fall, my artist mom and I were invited to give a presentation at the Cambridge Science Festival about the intersection of AI and art. It was an exciting opportunity. But I also hadn't done an in-person hands-on workshop like this before. I needed someone – or something – to help me talk out my ideas. That something turned out to be ChatGPT's advanced voice feature. This feature came out in the summer of 2024, but often isn't the first use case that comes to mind. As a full-time creator of over 10 years, I'm constantly sussing out new tools to see which ones are actually helpful, versus which features are just more hot air. And with how fast ChatGPT has been rolling out new features and upgrades, OpenAI has kept me busy. It's also made me realize a lot of people using ChatGPT aren't aware of all the different things the chatbot can currently do. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) Meet industry creators, contributors and emerging thought leaders that have paired with CNET's award-winning editorial team to provide you with unique content from different perspectives. Meet our contributors The difference between ChatGPT's standard and advanced voice modes The main difference between ChatGPT's standard voice and advanced voice is that standard voice uses text-to-speech engines, whereas advanced voice uses a unified model. In standard mode, the AI creates its response in text first and then a separate voice tool reads the text aloud. While the voice may sound decent, it can feel unnatural and often delayed. A unified model like advanced voice doesn't separate writing and speaking. According to OpenAI's website, advanced voice mode's multimodal model (GPT-4o) works more like a human and adjusts its tone in a smooth flow. In the ChatGPT mobile app's voice interface, standard mode is represented by a black circle in the center of the conversation screen; for advanced mode, it's a blue orb. Advanced mode is a paid feature, but users on ChatGPT's free plan can get limited usage of it each day. The blue orb is listening. Screenshot from Fei Wu What might you use a tool like ChatGPT advanced voice for? Here are two ways I'm incorporating it into my everyday life. Let AI act as a sounding board I'm excited about using advanced voice as a strategic thinking partner to help me work through important and challenging problems. One limitation of ChatGPT is that its base training data only goes up to a certain month and year. While it draws from a wide range of books, articles and web content, it may lack up-to-date knowledge or insight on niche, highly specialized topics. This changes when certain features are enabled, and you can enable these features while also using advanced voice. My favorite ChatGPT prompt features are: Search. Toggle this feature on to have ChatGPT browse the internet and access online information. Toggle this feature on to have ChatGPT browse the internet and access online information. Deep Research. Have ChatGPT search the web and return more detailed insights. (I find this helpful when exploring less mainstream topics.) Have ChatGPT search the web and return more detailed insights. (I find this helpful when exploring less mainstream topics.) Upload. Share files, project briefs or other documents from your device or cloud storage. (Click the "+" icon to access this.) To access one of these features on a computer, click the appropriate feature to enable it, then click the voice button on the right. On desktop, special features can be toggled on before you submit a prompt. Screenshot: Fei Wu Screenshot: Fei Wu Screenshot: Fei Wu To enable ChatGPT features on mobile using advanced voice: Tap on the slider icon. Choose the feature you want to enable. (You'll know it's enabled because its icon will appear below the prompt bubble.) Tap the advanced voice button. Allow advanced voice to respond. Exit the voice window once the response is complete to see the response in writing. Any web sources used to inform the response will appear in the control panel. Prompt features can be toggled on in mobile prior to using advanced voice. If doing web search or deep research, ChatGPT will include some of its sources. Screenshots: Nick Wolny Back to the festival I mentioned at the beginning. Xiang Li is my mom and the artist behind a massive collection of Chinese empresses painted on silk using gemstone watercolors. When I used ChatGPT's advanced voice and asked what it knew about Xiang Li Art, it quickly referenced information we had only updated recently. From interactive AI-powered art exploration to live AI demos, panel discussion and youth engagement activities, we were able to implement several practical ideas during our live event in Cambridge, and they were very well-received. You can be very specific with your questions, and can ask follow-ups to go even deeper. I often like to treat advanced voice like a friend or listening partner rather than a search engine as I work through ideas. More nuanced translation Thanks to advanced voice, when my partner (who primarily speaks English) communicates with my mom (who only speaks Mandarin Chinese), the translations feel more natural. ChatGPT's advanced voice can speak over 50 languages. This model feels much more natural, as it can think, talk, pause and react. This can be a slightly tricky experiment if you're using advanced voice for this purpose for the first time. My prompt usually goes something like this: "Hey ChatGPT, I have two speakers in the room: Adam and my mom Xiang. Adam speaks English, and Xiang speaks Mandarin Chinese. I want you to act as a translator between them. After Adam's done talking, please translate it into Mandarin Chinese for Mom, and vice versa." The only trouble we experience sometimes is timing. ChatGPT may jump in a bit early while someone's still talking. To improve this, we told ChatGPT to listen for the word "Go" before providing translation. I find this type of fine-tuning can be helpful because our speech patterns and intonation differ from person to person, making it challenging for ChatGPT to decipher how to react. After using the feature regularly, I notice it's picking up context in more complex situations. It can recall information in longer conversations, understand subtle nuances and respond to my emotions more accurately. I'm expecting advanced voice to become more intelligent and intuitive over time. Start exploring ChatGPT advanced voice for yourself Advanced voice can answer a broad range of questions, making it a versatile tool for creativity, content creation, problem-solving and even strategic partnership. Currently, advanced voice is available to all ChatGPT users; free users receive a daily limit on advanced voice usage, whereas the limit is much higher for Plus, Pro and Team users. Check out my real-time advanced voice demo here on my YouTube channel. And if you have any questions or ideas for how to grow with advanced voice, connect with me on YouTube and LinkedIn to say hello. Opinions expressed by CNET Perspectives contributors are their own.
The Herald Scotland
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
10 free art exhibitions to visit this weekend across Scotland
Artist Gabi Paterson showcases unique mosaics made with seaglass and ancient sea potter that has washed ashore onto the beaches of the Forth. This exhibition not only tells visitors how the glass is turned into sea glass but also surprises viewers by showing the wonderful mosaics made with their clean and expressive colours and patterns. CARBON 5-15 June. Entry free. Mazumdar Shaw Advanced Research Centre, 11 Chapel Lane, Glasgow, G11 6EW. As part of Glasgow's Science Festival, CARBON is an immersive and multi-disciplinary touring exhibition that explores our relationship with the element carbon. From medicine and machinery to architecture and art - the sooty fingerprints of carbon are visible on almost everything humanity has built and you can learn all about it in this display. Images of Research 2025: From Research to Reality 5-15 June. Entry free. Glasgow Central Station, Gordon Street, G1 3SL. Also part of Glasgow's Science Festival, visitors are invited to celebrate the scientific research that has evolved from ideas into solutions that transform lives, industries and communities. The images on display share a glimpse into the unseen world that lies behind research and innovation, demonstrating the real-world impact being created. Creme Fraiche 31 May-4 June. Entry free. Outer Spaces, 30 St Vincent Place, Glasgow, G1 2HL. A bold programme of newly commissioned works by artists Sooun Kim, Greer Pester and Jamie Fitzpatrick has presented the artists with an opportunity to make new and ambitious work in response to one of Outer Spaces most historic spaces. Responding the the former Clydesdale banking hall at 30 Vincent Place in Glasgow, the art on display explores the building's symbolic relationship to power, stability and prosperity. Resonance Resonance by Annan Sommerville (Image: anna sommerville) 7 June-2 July. Entry free. &Gallery, 3 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG. Building on the themes of her 2022 exhibition 'Reminiscence', Anna Somerville has deepened her exploration of memory, place and the evocative capacities of paint for this latest display. She's worked predominantly on wooden panels, alongside a small number of linen surfaces, and has taken inspiration from the surfaces that have been weathered over time to reveal 'accidental painter compositions'. Craftex 5-7 June. Entry free. Trades Hall of Glasgow, 85 Glassford Street, Glasgow, G1 1UH. Head along to the Trades Hall of Glasgow and discover an incredible curation of the best work from Glasgow college students all in one place. It features a huge array of skills from talented students including glasswork, jewellery, floristry, design, tailoring and many more. Exposed 25 3-12 June. Entry free. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, EH6 8RG. Edinburgh College's graduating photography class invites visitors to witness the culmination of years of dedication, passion and artistic exploration as they come to the end of their degree. More than just a display of technical skill, this exhibition is a celebration of creativity, resilience and the power of visual storytelling where each photograph represents a unique journey, a personal vision and a bold step into the professional world. Helter Skelter 30 May-1 June. Entry free. Sett Studios, 127 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, EH6 8NP. Helter Skelter is the first solo exhibition from Leith-based artist Pauly Pocket. Using reclaimed materials from the iconic Montgomery Street Helter Skelter, he's created a series of sculptural artworks that highlight the structure's transformation since its installation in the 1970s. Architecture Reassembled 31 May-21 June. Entry free. Upright Gallery, 3 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 4HP. This exhibition brings together two artists, Ros Lawless and Charles Young, whose interest lies in the built environment - both real and imagined. Lawless' practice is influenced by her immediate surroundings, in particular architecture, which she uses to organise pictorial space and form. Young on the other hand takes his basis from architectural model making and draws on the forms of the built environment, specifically focusing on the relationship between invented structures and the built history of the existing city. Linder: Danger Came Smiling 31 May-19 October. Entry free. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, EH3 5LR. Linder's first retrospective in Scotland showcases 50 years of trailblazing artwork. It dives into her fascination with plants and invites us to see beyond traditional ideas about gender and sexuality. Linder remixes images from popular culture and this version of the exhibition spills out into the garden at the Botanics.
Observer
23-03-2025
- Business
- Observer
Student company manufactures solar cells using new technology
MUSCAT: Aura, a company from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), is the first student-led startup to manufacture perovskite solar cells. The cells are characterised by high efficiency, low cost, flexibility and environment friendly and aim to support the Sultanate of Oman's vision of relying on solar energy. Nour bint Mohammed al Mayyahiyah, the company's public relations manager, said that Aura specialises in developing and producing solar energy solutions, with a focus on perovskite technologies to enhance solar energy efficiency. The goal is to provide clean and efficient energy sources, reduce reliance on traditional solar panels, and contribute to achieving environmental and economic sustainability. She added that the idea to establish the company came after seeing the challenges faced by traditional solar energy technologies, such as low conversion efficiency, high production costs, and the difficulty in manufacturing. After research and study, we discovered that perovskite technology offers an innovative and more efficient solution. The company was established to develop this technology and transform it into practical products that meet market needs. Al Mayyahi said that there has been growing interest in our products and concept after we created a prototype and presented it to those interested in this field, particularly companies and institutions seeking clean and efficient energy solutions. "We are witnessing a significant growth in demand, and we are working to expand the scope of our services to better meet customer needs." She pointed out that Aura's most notable achievements include developing the first local prototype of perovskite solar cells, participating in numerous competitions, including Injaz Oman and the Science Festival, and attracting public and private sector interest in this product as a sustainable energy source. — ONA
