If you’re utilizing the iPhone 15 Pro (review) (or the 15 Pro Max, as I do), you’ll discover a small button situated above the quantity buttons on the left fringe of the system. This button may be programmed to carry out just about any activity. While it could seem to be only a button, it opens up countless potentialities for how one can customise it, providing alternative ways to make use of your iPhone.

The Action button primarily serves as a alternative for the previous mute change. You can programme it to carry out numerous features, akin to opening the Camera, recording a Voice Memo, toggling Do Not Disturb, or operating an app Shortcut. Personally, I take advantage of it to launch quite a lot of apps with a single press, together with Indian Express and Amazon. However, just lately, I took it a step additional by changing Siri on my iPhone 15 Pro by programming the Action button.

How it really works

Open the App Store in your iPhone and obtain the ChatGPT app. Yes, it’s freed from price and doesn’t require a subscription. Once you may have downloaded the app (assuming you may have already signed up; if not, create an OpenAI account), go into your iPhone’s Settings app and navigate right down to the “Action Button” menu within the iOS Settings display screen. Swipe over to the “Shortcut” choice close to the top. Then, faucet on the blue button “Choose a Shortcut” and scroll down via the alphabetic record of supported apps to pick “ChatGPT.”

ChatGPT shortcut may be added from the Action button settings menu (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

Search your Shortcuts for ChatGPT, and you will see the choice for “Start voice conversations.” Once arrange, simply press and maintain your Action Button and begin speaking to ChatGPT. The app works equally to the net model in that you simply enter your requests or queries after which obtain an AI-generated response in return. The voice capabilities, which have been beforehand accessible solely to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, have now been made accessible totally free.

I have to say it’s a killer characteristic and can seemingly substitute Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant ultimately for lots of customers, at the very least on a smartphone. The greatest distinction between Siri and ‘ChatGPT with voice’ is that the latter is powered by a big language mannequin, and that makes an enormous distinction. The chatbot picks up voice, understands the whole lot completely, after which solutions instantly no matter I’m asking, and it even supplies a transcript of the voice chat immediately. ChatGPT will keep on till you manually finish the dialog. The expertise is not like the way you usually use Siri.

To use the characteristic, press and maintain the Action Button to kick off your ChatGPT voice session, press the “headphone” icon, ask a query, and anticipate a robotic voice (you’ll be able to select from 5 completely different voices for the ChatGPT assistant — Ember, Sky, Breeze, Juniper, and Cove) to learn out a reply.

ChatGPT’s new voice is a question-and-answer sort of voice assistant. It behaves like different voice assistants however solely solutions questions. However, it can not do issues like make a cellphone name, take notes, make a calendar appointment, or management the sensible residence. Additionally, the ChatGPT Voice characteristic requires web connectivity to have the ability to use it, however I often have a connection (both 5G or Wi-Fi) more often than not.

That being stated, I nonetheless use Siri for less than a handful of duties, akin to setting an alarm within the morning or controlling my two HomePods, however not way more. However, over time, I’ve realised how way more time I spend utilizing ChatGPT on my iPhone basically. Agreed, it’s not straightforward to ditch Siri simply, particularly if you happen to, like me, personal a number of Apple units. I can see the place ChatGPT is heading, even when its new voice characteristic is best at answering questions. The good factor is you’ll be able to nonetheless use Siri and ChatGPT collectively on the iPhone, so I don’t have to decide on between them.