Introduction to Sesame

There’s a new voice model in town, and it’s called Sesame. As I so often do, I got a lot of information on this new technology from Nathaniel Whittemore at AI Daily Brief, where he covered interest in this conversational AI.

Breakthrough Capabilities

Whittemore talked about what he called an “incredible explosion” of voice-based models happening now. “This is an area that we’ve been thinking about a lot,” he said.

He pointed out that the Sesame model itself is small, with around 1 billion parameters, and that larger models are also in the works.

Some of the Demos

Whittemore played us part of a demo by Ethan Mollick, who I’ve often covered as a prominent voice in AI analysis (and someone connected to the MIT community).

In the demo, the AI showcased its ability to converse naturally, often breaking the fourth wall and admitting it doesn’t possess human emotions or a physical form.

User Reactions

Users have been amazed at Sesame’s realistic interactions. One user mentioned it being more human than other advanced models like ChatGPT. Another appreciated how it pronounced names correctly, showing a preference over human conversation in specific areas like practicing English or personal dialogue.

Use Cases Beyond Conversation

Whittemore, in covering Sesame, talks about voice models for sales, talent recruitment and much more. You can see some additional input from Olivia Moore of a16z in talking about models for human resources and hiring, and other uses.

Conclusion

Sesame’s voice model represents a significant milestone in conversational AI, with its realistic voice interactions and potential to revolutionize user experiences across various domains. It is worth trying the demo to understand the full capabilities of this breakthrough technology.