OpenAI and Anthropic Turn Voice into a Way to Direct AI Assistants

On July 23, 2026, OpenAI added voice control to its ChatGPT desktop app, letting users speak multi-step instructions that the AI then carries out. Around the same date, Anthropic updated Claude's voice mode to complete tasks in Gmail, Slack, Notion, and Canva. Both companies now treat voice as a way to command AI assistants, not just chat with them.