OpenAI has decided to postpone the launch of its new “voice mode” feature for the ChatGPT AI model, which is a setback in the competitive field of conversational AI where it risks losing ground to Google. The company cited the need for additional improvements, such as the ability to filter certain content, resulting in a delay to the initial rollout planned for June. OpenAI now aims to release the feature to a limited group of subscribers in the fall, with exact timelines depending on meeting security and reliability standards.
Google, on the other hand, announced plans to introduce a similar conversational feature called Live for its Gemini AI model in the coming months, indicating a potential advancement in intuitive speaking capabilities. This development raises concerns that OpenAI, despite its successful launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 backed by Google, may be falling behind in the AI technology race.
Independent analysts have highlighted the rising costs of training and operating multimillion-dollar parameter models, which may not be sustainable if performance gains do not keep pace. OpenAI has also teased other upcoming features like the text to video generator Sora, but has faced challenges such as discontinuing a voice for ChatGPT that was perceived to sound too much like actress Scarlett Johansson, prompting the company to pause its usage out of respect.
With an annualized revenue rate of $3.4 billion, AI has become a lucrative industry influencing OpenAI’s focus. The company’s successful deployment of ChatGPT ahead of similar Google products was attributed to its growth mindset and willingness to present imperfect systems to the public by Alphabet’s AI chief Demis Hassabis at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year.
As OpenAI navigates the balance between innovation and risk amidst heightened public attention, the company’s future trajectory remains uncertain. The delay in launching voice mode underscores the challenges in maintaining a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving field of AI technology.
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