OpenAI enriches ChatGPT with new voice and visual features for the holiday season. The company continues to innovate by integrating real-time video analysis capabilities and a festive mode that will delight young and old, even if certain restrictions apply.
A digital Santa in your pocket
OpenAI is launching a temporary “Santa” mode in ChatGPT, available until early January 2024. This new option transforms the usual interface by adding a virtual snow globe and a snowflake as an activation icon. Santa Claus’ voice is characterized by a jovial and warm tone, typical of traditional representations of the character.
Notably, this feature is restricted to users aged 13 and over, in accordance with ChatGPT’s general terms of service. Conversations with Virtual Santa are temporary and are not saved in chat history.
This feature is subject to some important limitations:
- Reserved for users aged 13 and over
- Temporary conversations not saved in history
- No support for custom instructions or memories
To encourage the use of this new feature, OpenAI is offering a one-time reset of Advanced Voice Mode usage limits, allowing even users who have exhausted their quota to enjoy the experience.
A revolution in real-time video analysis
The integration of real-time vision into ChatGPT represents a major breakthrough, arriving seven months after its first demonstration. This feature now allows users to directly show their surroundings to the AI via their smartphone camera or share their screen, rather than having to describe situations verbatim.
The system can now analyze and understand a variety of visual content in real time. For example, it can help navigate settings menus, solve math problems, or identify objects in the immediate environment. During a demonstration on CBS “60 Minutes”the AI was even able to comment live on anatomy drawings, although some errors were noted on geometry problems.
The feature is accessible via Advanced Voice Mode for Plus, Team and Pro subscribers. To enable it, users simply need to tap on the voice icon near the chat bar and then select either the video icon for video input or the “Screen Share” option from the menu. The deployment is taking place gradually, with availability postponed to January 2024 for Enterprise and Education users.
This update represents an important step in the evolution of ChatGPT, particularly interesting for users of Apple devices who will benefit from a more immersive and natural experience. The integration of real-time video analysis opens the way to many practical applications, while Santa mode brings a welcome touch of fun for the holiday season.
