A Conversation with Voice-Enabled ChatGPT as a Non-Native English Speaker

So, here we are, at this exciting, almost surreal moment where technology is mimicking human conversation. Have you seen the film "Her"? If you have, then you probably get this mix of excitement and slight unease that I felt when I first tried out ChatGPT’s new voice feature.

Getting Started

First things first: getting started is as simple as downloading the ChatGPT app onto your phone. If you're an iPhone user, you can go one step further and set up a Siri shortcut. This way, you can jump right into a chat with just a voice command. The detailed instructions are available on Daniel Miessler for a fun setup: https://danielmiessler.com/p/get-samantha-tars-interstellar-iphoneandroid

Non-Native Languages

As someone who's more at home speaking French, the first thing I did was try out a conversation in my native tongue. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. The voice sounded a little strange, maybe a bit unreal, but it was good enough to keep the chat flowing.

Still, there was something missing. I wanted that "Her" experience—where the AI feels almost like another person in the room with you. So, I tweaked the settings to get ChatGPT to respond in English no matter what language I spoke. And just like that, the conversation felt smoother, more engaging. It was almost like talking to a friend who spoke English fluently but could still understand me when I switched to French.

To have this experience, go in your Settings → Custom Instructions and add Even If I speak in [your language], always answer in English as the last line of the input “How would you like ChatGPT to respond?”

Also do not forget to choose you main language in the Speech section.

The Good, the Bad, and the Next Steps

Now, it's not all smooth sailing. Sometimes, if I pause or go on for too long, the app thinks I’m done and cuts me off. It breaks the natural flow, you know? I think the next big thing for this tech would be to allow more real-time interactions, where it can process what I'm saying while I'm saying it, just like how a real conversation works.

But one of the coolest parts? This feature isn't just for native English speakers. Being able to speak in French and get replies in English opens up a world of possibilities for people like me. It's inclusive and, honestly, a pretty fun way to practice a new language.

Emotional Connections and "Her"

The emotional depth we saw in "Her" might still be a thing of fiction, but it makes you wonder. What are the boundaries of our interactions with technology? Can we form real emotional connections? ChatGPT isn’t there yet, but it's a hint at what the future could hold.

Final Thoughts

So, what's the verdict? This voice-enabled ChatGPT is both exhilarating and thought-provoking. I've been messing around with it to see how it fits into my day-to-day life, even used it to draft this blog post. I'm still figuring it out, but I can't help but be excited about what’s coming next.