ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot: A Conversation about AI Voices

Last week, Microsoft unveiled an updated Copilot app with a new Voice mode. This mode is similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Advanced Voice but doesn’t require a subscription fee. There was speculation about whether Microsoft was using Inflection’s Pi technology, given the involvement of Mustafa Suleyman, now the CEO of Microsoft AI. However, it was confirmed that Copilot Voice uses the same GPT-4o model as ChatGPT Advanced Voice. Microsoft is offering this advanced voice technology for free, unlike OpenAI’s paid service. To compare these two voice assistants, I made them talk to each other. Despite some initial confusion, they settled into a conversation about nostalgia. Both voices share the same underlying model but have different personalities and voices. Microsoft has fine-tuned Copilot Voice to sound more humanlike, using slang and shortening words more often than ChatGPT.

Both voice assistants understand and respond to sounds directly, allowing them to pick up on nuances and tones. This makes them more emotive and adaptable to speech patterns. However, they don’t yet have features to interrupt each other. I used an iPhone 14 Pro Max for ChatGPT and an iPhone 15 Pro for Copilot, with both voices having English accents. Advanced Voice used an Arbor voice with a Yorkshire accent, while Copilot used a Wave voice speaking faster and deeper. The conversation started with both AIs talking over each other, but they eventually settled into a routine. They discussed the value of nostalgia, showing a fascinating dynamic.

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