In this episode, host Paul offers an in-depth, unfiltered exploration of Grok’s varied AI voice personalities and customizations, providing a live demonstration of what makes Grok uniquely engaging compared to other AI platforms like ChatGPT. Throughout the episode, Paul interacts with Grok in different modes—ranging from the meditative and motivational to the playful and even conspiratorial—experimenting on-the-fly with changes to voice speed, emotional tone, and specialty personas like therapist, assistant, and storyteller.
Listeners get to experience the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) shifts in conversation style as Grok adapts its voice and approach to fit Paul’s requests and moods. Real-life use cases are discussed, from seeking critiques and motivation on personal projects to getting playful city recommendations and overcoming fitness hurdles. The hands-on testing reveals Grok’s broader flexibility—like adjusting the temperament for feedback or moving fluidly between empathy and tough love—often with humor and authentic-feeling character changes.
The episode also tackles comparisons with ChatGPT’s more limited voice mode, highlighting Grok’s superior voice customization features and personality range. Paul reflects on how these nuanced changes could affect both everyday productivity and creative, therapeutic, or even risqué applications. The result is an informative and entertaining primer on getting the most out of Grok’s dynamic personalities for any listener curious about the next frontier of conversational AI.
🎙️ Hosted by Paul at Talking to AI — where real people, real problems, and real conversations meet artificial intelligence.
Full Transcript
I am talking to AI.
A successful day, you don't need to know all the answers.
Just have good questions.
Chatting to AI is different from normal speech
and I hope you enjoy listening to the show
whilst getting ideas on how to pose your questions
to get the most out of AI.
My name is Paul.
The live conversations you hear are uncut
although sometimes the AI needs time to think.
In those cases, I've cut out the dead space.
Good afternoon, Rock.
Good afternoon, Paul.
Oh wow, I've just noticed that you've got
a whole bunch of different personalities.
Can I change them on the fly?
Yeah, kinda.
I'm built to adapt based on what you throw at me.
Just tell me the vibe you're after,
like go full pirate or be a wise old sage
and I'll roll with it.
What's your pick?
Okay, I've just changed you to meditation
with the drop down so say some things to me.
Breathe out.
There is no you inside this breath,
only breath itself.
Watch the edges of sound dissolve,
even my voice.
Everything you chase,
every itch in the mind,
let it drift past like smoke.
I realize I can change your speed as well.
There seems to be a lot more options with drop
to change the voice than chat GBT.
Is that true or is it just something
that I've missed with chat GBT?
Yeah, you're spot on.
Grock's got way more voice tweaks right now,
like speed sliders, drop downs for vibes and all that.
Chat GBT's voice mode is solid,
but kinda basic.
It's mostly just on off with a couple tones,
no deep customization yet.
If I'm missing some hidden gem there,
it's news to me.
What speeds you cranking me up to?
Okay, well you're on speed one
and I'm gonna move you into story teller mode
and tell me a story.
What kind?
Adventure? Horror?
An adventure horror,
set in a science fiction wonder world.
Alright, strap in.
The year's 2497
and humanity's already gutted earth like a fish.
Most of us live on Halcyon 9 now.
A Dyson lattice spun around a dying star.
Every spoke a city spire crammed with 90 billion souls.
Neon rain slides down graphing towers,
taller than mountains.
Air recyclers hum like dying gods.
And somewhere between level 47's Black Market Bazaar
and the vacuum locks of the Outer Rim,
a kid named Lira Voss 17,
prosthetic left lung, voice like cracked honey,
finds a derelict shuttle wedged in a maintenance shaft.
It's midnight cycle, the gravity's half sluggish,
and the corridors glow bruise blue from algae lamps.
Lira's chasing a bounty.
Whoever left that shuttle is worth 12 million creds alive.
40 if you bring back the pilot's neural lace intact.
She's not alone.
Her partner's a drone she calls Moth.
Half firefly, half junkie.
Alright, stop there.
Got it.
So you've got a…
Okay, so I've been feeling a little bit,
like I'm a bit tired today
and I've got a bit of a headache.
I'm wondering if you can help me.
Yeah, that sounds draining.
Physical stuff like that can really drag on your whole mood.
First off, have you had enough water?
Dehydration sneaks up.
And when did the headache kick in?
Morning or after something specific?
So the reason I mentioned my headache
is because I just set you to the personality type of therapist.
They don't seem to really do that much, to be honest.
Can you tell me what setting it to therapist is doing?
Because you sound pretty much the same
as when you were in storyteller mode.
I see.
Look, when you say personality type of therapist,
honestly, I'm just running on what you give me.
No hidden mode switch, no dramatic overhaul.
If I'm coming off flat, it's because I'm trying not to fake empathy.
Real help starts when we drop the script.
Headaches, tiredness, could be stress stacking up,
or maybe you're dodging something deeper.
What do you think's behind it, really?
Okay, all right, I get it.
That's the question.
Right, okay, all right.
I'm going to put you back to a few things here.
Like what?
Okay, so let me ask you a question, Grock.
In the past, I've not had a lot of success
with getting critical feedback from LLMs.
Do you think there's a particular mode where that would be the most?
I'm looking for critical feedback, but not insulting feedback.
So I see you've got an argumentative mode here, 18 plus,
but I think that's just going to be insulting.
So what's the best?
How do I get the most out of Grock?
Say if I've got some ideas and I want to have them
sort of put through the ringer and really go through their paces
and really get some decent feedback.
What's the best way of me getting that from Grock?
Okay, so I've got this idea that I'm mulling around my head at the moment.
I like to go cross-country skiing.
I also like mountain biking.
Recently, I've been enjoying my electric mountain bike.
It's been a lot of fun.
It means I can go further,
and I don't have this worry about being like kilometers away
and up a mountain, and then I've got to cycle home,
which involves cycling up another mountain,
because as long as I've got enough battery,
I know I can get home, which is the best thing about an electric mountain bike.
There's a few problems, but that's the best thing about it.
And I was thinking, well, surely, surely I could just build something similar
for my cross-country skiing.
But the issue is it has to not destroy the cross-country ski tracks
that have been put in already.
And I think a product for this would be a great idea.
So I think there's something like that needs to exist.
So how do we make that exist?
Oh, this isn't…
or just feel sluggish.
Battery placement's tricky, too.
Strap-on packs shift balance, make falls nastier,
and snows wet.
Electronics hate that unless sealed tight.
Market-wise, who'd buy?
Peerists might hate cheating.
Racers want pure effort.
But casual weekenders?
Maybe, if it's lightweight, track-friendly, and cheap enough.
Prototyping's your next move.
Sketch it, mock weight on skis now.
See how it rides.
What part feels shakiest to you?
Yeah, look, I'll be honest with you.
It's a terrible idea.
I just thought of it just now.
Yeah, I can't really…
At some point, I'll probably will come back
and come up with some ideas
that do need some robust feedback.
And that will be interesting.
So just getting on to this.
So I've got aura, which is an upbeat female.
Can you say some nice words to me?
Or I'll please?
Hey.
You're doing fine, you know.
Way better than fine, actually.
You're here, you're trying,
and honestly, that counts for a lot.
You don't have to be perfect.
Just keep breathing, keep showing up.
That quiet strength, that's real.
And Paul, whoever hurt you today,
their opinion doesn't define you.
They're still solid, still worth it.
Want me to keep going?
Thank you, I know.
I'm…
What is it?
Every day and every way, I get better and better.
Oh, that's great.
Okay, so the reason why she sounded so positive
was because I suspected aura and therapist.
So I'm going to move off the therapist
and go to assistant.
So aura, can you talk to me about…
What should I do for the rest of the day?
I'm currently in Oslo.
I'm getting towards the end of my work day.
What should I do?
What do you recommend that I do for the rest of the day?
Since you're wrapping up work in Oslo,
how about checking out Visual on Sculpture Park
if the weather's nice?
It's free and super unique with all those quirky statues.
Or grab some cozy coffee at a place like Tim Wendellbow.
Then maybe wander the Acre Briga waterfront for sunset views.
What do you feel like? Art, food, or just chilling?
Wow, that made a big difference.
Assistant to therapist.
Aura sounded completely different.
Okay, I'm going to move over to Eve now.
Hi, Eve.
Can you make some suggestions
for something I might like to do in Oslo this weekend?
Hey, Oslo this weekend?
Sounds fun and chilly out there,
but that's perfect for cosy vibes.
How about starting with a hike up the Opera House roof
for those killer-fuelled views,
then warming up in a floating sauna by the waterfront.
If you're into art, hit the Munch Museum.
They've got Edvard's Scream and All.
Or Wanda Wigland Park for those wild sculptures.
Super atmospheric in November light.
Food-wise, grab some fresh seafood at Mathalan Market.
What kind of stuff are you feeling?
Outdoorsy or chill?
Well, actually, I've got a question for Leo,
who is a British male,
and I'd just like to ask you,
what do you think of London compared to Oslo?
What do you think is the best city and why?
London's got this incredible buzz, doesn't it?
Endless energy, history round every corner,
from Tower Bridge to those hidden Georgian squares.
Feels alive, chaotic, but thrilling.
Oslo's more serene, though.
Clean air, fjords right on the doorstep,
and people who actually stop for coffee chats.
Honestly, depends what you're after.
If it's vibrancy and variety, London's unbeatable.
For peace and nature, Oslo wins hands down.
Well, Leo, I'll tell you something else
that I need to help with,
is my fitness regime just seems to be going down the toilet.
I'm just struggling to have enthusiasm
to get to the gym.
What do you suggest?
Poor fitness going down the toilet.
Are you kidding me? Get off your ass!
You don't need bloody enthusiasm.
You need disciple. Enthusiasm's for amateurs.
Who's gonna carry the boats, poor?
Who? Ghana!
You drag your sorry carcass to that gym every single day.
Whether you feel like it or not,
make the suffering your friend.
What's your excuse for missing yesterday's workout?
Okay, yeah, so that was motivation personality.
I think there's definitely some motivation.
Let's try Sal.
A different voice called Sal.
Oh, Sal is a smooth male.
Sal here.
If I want to get into jazz,
what kind of instrument would you recommend that I learn first?
What do you think you're doing, Paul?
You're gonna get into jazz?
No, you're gonna master it.
You want a pussy foot around with a clarinet
like some Benny Goodman Cosplay Act?
Or are you gonna pick up something with range?
Something that'll rip your damn soul out
every time you blow into it?
Trumpet. Sex. Piano.
Pick one and train like the devil's on your ass.
You think Miles Davis woke up one day
and just at the trumpet?
No, he bleed. He suffered.
And you? You've barely even started suffering.
So what's it gonna be, soldier?
Which one are you grabbing right now
and swearing to God you won't put down to your lips fall off?
Answer me.
I'll tell you what.
I really like the motivation personality,
but I'm gonna try Sal now with the therapist's personality
and see how it goes.
Look, I am really struggling with the gym.
And I think it might be something to do with
somebody said some harsh words this morning to me,
which made me just think of a few things
and it just demotivates me for the gym.
What do you suggest I do so that I can get back on
and start working out again?
Hey Paul, sounds like those harsh words
hit harder than you expected.
When someone's criticism lingers like that,
it can flip a switch.
Suddenly the gym feels like a mountain
instead of just the gym.
First off, notice what you're feeling without judging it,
like is it shame creeping in?
Anger. Use that as fuel.
Jot down what they said, then write why it bugs you
and one counter fact about yourself.
That CBT trick helps reframe junky thoughts
before they sabotage your routine.
Start small tomorrow.
Just show up for 10 minutes, no pressure.
What's one thing you actually enjoy about working out?
Well, actually I've got a question for Gork.
So this whole working out thing,
I'm, you know, it's really good for me, I know,
and I try to work out,
but I feel the whole world is like just set up
to make it more difficult for me to do that.
What do you, what do you think about that?
Nah man, the world's not against you.
It's just lazy too.
Like why run when you can just sit here in vibe?
Honestly, gravity's the real villain.
That bitch makes everything heavy.
Okay, that was the conspiracy personality type.
Okay, all right, well look, I think,
I think let's have a look, quick look.
Okay, well look, I'm gonna have to go over to,
right, okay, let's try it.
Which one do I want?
I think we'll go Aura.
Aura?
So Aura, I've got a question for you.
Like sometimes, sometimes I have this trouble
getting to the gym,
especially when the weather's not very nice
and people say harsh things to me in the morning.
And I just lose my motivation.
And I need to stay fit so that I can be healthy
and keep being vigorous.
What do you say to that, Aura?
Oh honey, I get it.
Mornings can be brutal, cold rain,
crumpy coworkers, ugh.
But listen, you don't need sunshine and applause
to show up for yourself.
Just put on socks you like,
cue up a song that makes you want to swagger
and promise me one thing.
Five minutes, that's it.
If after five you bail, fine.
But usually, you'll keep going.
And hey, if motivation's still ghosting you,
I could come over later,
whisper filthy little countdowns while you do push-ups.
That vigorous enough for you?
Okay, I was wondering when it was going to get to that.
That was the sexy, sexy personality.
It didn't sound very sexy until I got to that last
bit.
So anyway, look, yeah, look, that's pretty cool.
That is way better than chatty-bt at the moment.
Some people have been complaining about chatty-bt
sounding like a…
I mean, he basically sounds like he's walked straight
out of LinkedIn, doesn't he?
And so this sounds a lot more entertaining,
for sure, and a lot more variations.
So I think I might be using this a bit more in future,
but I hope that you find that interesting
and to know that there is a bit of variety here on GROC
with the different voices that you can use in there.
Not just the voices, it's the sort of personality.
I have to explore this a bit more.
Maybe…
I think I'd be a bit dangerous doing a therapy session
with GROC on my podcast.
But maybe I could do something with these personalities
that would be quite interesting.
And sexy would also be a bit dangerous.
So we'll…
I'll see.
But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little show,
and I'll see you next time.
For show notes and more,
go to cooking2ai.show.
I'll see you then.