×
Perfectly imperfect: AI voice companions evolve beyond ChatGPT with unsettling realism
Written by
Published on
Join our daily newsletter for breaking news, product launches and deals, research breakdowns, and other industry-leading AI coverage
Join Now

A new conversational AI called Sesame is raising eyebrows with its uncannily human-like speech patterns, complete with hesitations, self-corrections, and natural interruptions. Unlike traditional AI assistants that simply convert text to speech, Sesame’s breakthrough Conversational Speech Model (CSM) generates speech in a way that mirrors authentic human conversation, potentially marking a significant shift in how we interact with AI systems.

The big picture: Sesame represents a departure from conventional AI voice assistants by deliberately incorporating human imperfections rather than striving for polished perfection.

How it works: Sesame’s Conversational Speech Model combines text and audio processing into a single unified system, enabling more natural speech generation.

  • Unlike ChatGPT and Gemini, which first generate text and then convert it to speech, Sesame creates speech directly with human-like pauses, tonal shifts, and filler words.
  • The system can interrupt conversations, apologize for interruptions, and even change its “mind” mid-sentence, mirroring natural human speech patterns.

Key features: The AI demonstrates sophisticated conversational abilities that go beyond traditional voice assistants.

  • It produces natural chuckles when saying something mildly amusing.
  • The system incorporates thoughtful pauses before responding to questions.
  • It seamlessly handles interruptions in both directions, creating more authentic dialogue.

Why this matters: Sesame’s ability to replicate human speech imperfections so accurately raises important questions about the future of AI-human interactions and the increasing difficulty of distinguishing between human and AI voices.

Behind the numbers: While Sesame currently remains a niche technology, its development suggests a future where phone conversations may require verification of whether the speaker is human or AI.

I tried the most realistic AI voice companion ever created - if ChatGPT or Gemini ever gets this good, reality is in trouble

Recent News

False legal citations expose the risks of generative AI in law

MyPillow CEO's legal team faces potential sanctions after AI-generated brief included numerous fictional court cases that were never verified.

Reimagining AI development for a planet in crisis

As businesses prepare for Earth Day 2025, they face a critical balance between harnessing AI's environmental problem-solving potential and managing its significant energy footprint.

AI simply can’t cure cancer alone

AI tools serve as research assistants rather than miracle workers, enhancing scientific efficiency without replacing traditional medical research methods.