ChatGPT's OpenAI announced on Monday that it is working on plans to enhance its generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform, which had long been restricted to text interactions, by introducing voice and image capabilities.

The tech giant explained that these new features, available in the paid versions of the service, enable users to engage in conversations with the AI and even share images to supplement discussions.

"Voice and image give you more ways to use ChatGPT in your life," said the company.

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For instance, users can snap a photo of a landmark while traveling and engage in a live conversation about its interesting aspects. Some practical applications of these new features include taking a picture of the contents of a refrigerator to receive meal recipe suggestions or capturing an image of a child's math homework to seek assistance with problem-solving.

Voice and image capabilities will be gradually rolled out to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users in the coming weeks, with plans to eventually integrate them into Apple and Google's smartphone operating systems. Users can now engage in dynamic voice interactions with ChatGPT, request bedtime stories, or settle debates. OpenAI also said it had worked with voice actors to enhance realism.

Generative AI programs garnered considerable prominence in the past year, notably with ChatGPT showcasing its proficiency in creating essays, poems, and dialogues using concise prompts. Major technology titans like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are actively exploring the capabilities of generative AI, all while taking measures to address concerns regarding its potential misuse in disseminating misinformation and facilitating cybercrime.

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In a separate announcement, Spotify, the Sweden-based music streaming platform, revealed on Monday that it is leveraging OpenAI's technology to enable the translation of podcasts into various languages while preserving the original speaker's style.

Spotify's Vice President of Personalization, Ziad Sultan, stated, "By matching the creator's own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before."

Initially, the popular music app will begin translating English-language episodes into Spanish, French, and German in the coming weeks, Sultan added.

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