How do I talk to Nova in live mode?

Goal

Talk freely back and forth with Nova, interrupt her, and let her handle tasks along the way.

Before you start

• An OpenAI key under Apps & services. Live mode runs on GPT Live from OpenAI. See How do I set up AI access?
• The conversation circle is on. The path is in How do I turn on the conversation circle?
• The microphone is allowed.

Steps

1. Start: if Conversation is chosen under Speech & dictation, the Voice tab, How does Nova speak?, tap the talk key once. Otherwise use Start conversation in the menu bar, or the Voice circle key under Keyboard shortcuts.
2. Just talk. Nova answers with the Live voice. You can interrupt her mid-sentence.
3. For a task, Nova briefly says she is checking. She handles the calendar, Mail, and Reminders on the Mac, with the same rules as always. A change arrives as a card on the avatar. Nothing is written until you say yes.
4. When you ask, Nova looks once at the front window. That is a single picture, not a running film.
5. End: say goodbye, tap the key again, or choose End conversation in the menu bar. After 60 seconds of silence Nova says goodbye on her own. A circle lasts at most 20 minutes, with a warning 30 seconds before.
6. What goes online: while the circle is open, your microphone streams to OpenAI. Afterwards the text of the conversation is in the chat history on the Mac.
7. In Expert, the Spoken replies tab, card Conversation circle (GPT Live): with the checkbox Keep the circle at OpenAI for 30 days, audio and state stay at OpenAI for 30 days. The list below has Continue and Remove from list.
8. OpenAI bills per open minute. Cost counter (voice layer only) shows the total. Monthly cap for the circle only (USD) sets a limit. Both are in the same card.

Example

“What’s on tomorrow?” — “Move the dentist to 4 pm.” — “Yes.” — “Bye.”

Common problems

• Privacy Lock blocks the circle. The menu bar then reads Conversation · not available under Privacy Lock. See How do I turn on Privacy Lock?
• Without an OpenAI key it reads Conversation · OpenAI key missing.
• With the switch This Mac only — no web, no cloud fallback on, no circle runs. The circle needs the network. See How does an answer stay on this Mac?
• Once the monthly cap is reached, no new circle starts, and an open circle says goodbye.
• Remove from list does not delete the recording at OpenAI. ElevenLabs and dialect do not apply in the circle.