AI Assistant Mode

What is Assistant Mode?

Assistant Mode transforms VoiceInk from a transcription tool into a conversational AI assistant, similar to ChatGPT. Instead of simply transcribing and formatting your words, Assistant Mode interprets your speech as a question or command and provides a direct answer.

This mode is perfect for when you need to quickly get information, perform a calculation, brainstorm ideas, or get a second opinion on a piece of text without leaving your current application.

How to Use Assistant Mode

1. Enable AI Enhancement: Assistant Mode is a part of the AI Enhancement suite. You must have enhancements enabled and an AI provider configured. See Configuring AI Enhancements if you haven't set this up yet.

2. Select the Assistant Prompt: In the Enhancement tab, under the Enhancement Prompt section, select the "Assistant" prompt. This will change the behavior of the AI from formatting text to answering questions.

3. Start a Conversation: Use your normal recording shortcut and speak your query. For example:

   • "What is the capital of Australia?"
   • "Give me three ideas for an article about productivity."
   • "Translate 'hello, how are you' into French."

4. Get Your Answer: Instead of transcribing your question, VoiceInk will replace it with the AI's answer, ready to be pasted anywhere.

Contextual Awareness

Assistant Mode can also use context from your screen to provide more relevant answers.

• Selected Text: If you highlight a piece of text in any application and then activate the assistant, it will use that selected text as context for your query. For example, you could highlight a paragraph and say, "Summarize this for me."
• Clipboard & Screen Context: If enabled in the Enhancement settings, the assistant can also use text from your clipboard or the active window to better understand your request.

Using a Trigger Word for Assistant Mode

You can also activate Assistant Mode on the fly using a trigger word, without needing to select it manually. The Assistant prompt is a built-in prompt, and you can edit it to assign a trigger word like assistant or question.

Once assigned, you can say your trigger word at the beginning of your query, for example: "Assistant, what is the weather like today?"

This will temporarily activate Assistant Mode for that single request and give you an answer. Your settings will revert back immediately afterwards.

To learn more, read the full article on Trigger Words for Enhancements.

Switching Back to Transcription

To go back to the standard transcription and enhancement functionality, simply select a different prompt (like the "Default" prompt) from the Enhancement tab.