Voice mode
Also called Gemini Live, ChatGPT Voice, voice chat
Talking with an AI out loud, in real time, and hearing it answer, instead of typing and reading.
Voice mode turns a chatbot into something closer to a phone call. You speak, it answers in a spoken voice, and you can interrupt the way you would a person. The newest versions don't take turns at all: they can hear you while they're talking.
Some can also see. Point your phone's camera at a broken tap, a plant or a form you don't understand, and ask about it as you go.
It's at its best when your hands are busy or the question is half-formed. It's weaker for anything you need to read carefully, like a list of figures or a legal answer, where text on a screen is easier to check.
For example
While cooking, you ask out loud what you can use instead of buttermilk, and ask again when you realise you've no lemons either.
Put it to use
Where you'll meet voice mode in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, how to use it there, and the mix-up most people make.
Daily Bytes Plus is in the Android app.