October 1, 2024

ChatGPT Can Now Speak In Jamaican Patois And Nigerian Pidgin — Well, Kind Of

Black people social media

OpenAI recently launched an advanced voice mode for ChatGPT, enabling users to hold natural, real-time conversations in a wide range of languages and dialects.

Clips of the chatbot speaking in Jamaican Patois, Nigerian Pidgin, and Trinidadian creole have taken the internet by storm, impressing some users while leaving others skeptical.

A Voice Feature with Global Reach

OpenAI began introducing its voice feature earlier this year, but its latest update brings a richer and faster audio experience to premium subscribers.

This enhanced voice mode, launched in late September 2024, not only allows ChatGPT to speak with improved accent recognition but also caters to users who want to interact using local dialects like Ebonics, Jamaican Patois, and Nigerian Pidgin.

The technology’s ability to shift between languages and dialects means that users can now chat with ChatGPT in a way that feels more personal and culturally nuanced. 

For example, users can toggle between languages and even request specific accents, making the chatbot more versatile and globally accessible. 

OpenAI has also added new voices—such as Arbor, Maple, and Vale—bringing the total number of available voices to nine.

“While you’ve been patiently waiting, we’ve added Custom Instructions, Memory, five new voices, and improved accents,” OpenAI wrote on X. “It can also say “Sorry I’m late” in over 50 languages.”

What Are User Reactions?

Reactions to ChatGPT’s new voice mode have largely been positive, as users flock to social media to share their experiences. 

Many are particularly impressed by its ability to converse in Jamaican Patois and Nigerian Pidgin, with one user on X (formerly Twitter) stating “The new ChatGPT Advanced Voice mode can talk in Patois really well.”

“ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode speaks proper Nigerian Pidgin,” another user tweeted.

Although it has been praised for its accuracy with a range of accents and dialects, some users are less impressed.

“Needs reprogramming cos that’s not Jamaican Patois,” wrote one X user.

Others raised more existential concerns. “Y’all out here teaching robots how to be human… this is NOT a good thing,” an Instagram user wrote.

“Welcome to another episode of “humans never learn before it’s too late,” another stated.

Sara Keenan

Tech Reporter at POCIT. Following her master's degree in journalism, Sara cultivated a deep passion for writing and driving positive change for Black and Brown individuals across all areas of life. This passion expanded to include the experiences of Black and Brown people in tech thanks to her internship experience as an editorial assistant at a tech startup.