Build a Powerful Python Voice Assistant with GPT‑4: Step‑by‑Step Guide

Introduction

Voice assistants are becoming ubiquitous, and GPT‑4 can generate the Python code needed to build one that can set reminders, manage to‑do lists, perform web searches and provide help.

Prompt for GPT‑4

Provide the following prompt to ChatGPT‑4 to obtain the required code:

Set reminders

Create to‑do lists

Search the web

Provide an overview of available commands

Project Setup

Create a new project directory and a virtual environment:

$ mkdir voice_assist
$ cd voice_assist
$ python3 -m venv env
$ source env/bin/activate

Install the necessary packages:

$ pip install SpeechRecognition pyttsx3
$ brew install portaudio   # macOS only
$ pip install pyaudio

Core Python Code

Create voice_assistant.py and add the following imports:

import os
import datetime
import webbrowser
import speech_recognition as sr
import pyttsx3

Define the helper functions:

def initialize_engine():
    engine = pyttsx3.init()
    return engine

def speak(engine, text):
    engine.say(text)
    engine.runAndWait()

def listen():
    r = sr.Recognizer()
    with sr.Microphone() as source:
        print("Listening...")
        audio = r.listen(source)
    try:
        command = r.recognize_google(audio)
        print(f"User said: {command}
")
    except Exception:
        print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you please repeat?")
        return "None"
    return command.lower()

Implement the functional blocks for each voice‑assistant feature:

def set_reminder(engine, command):
    speak(engine, "What should I remind you about?")
    reminder = listen()
    speak(engine, "When do you want to be reminded? Please say the time in hours and minutes.")
    reminder_time = listen()
    try:
        hour, minute = map(int, reminder_time.split())
        now = datetime.datetime.now()
        reminder_dt = now.replace(hour=hour, minute=minute)
        if now > reminder_dt:
            reminder_dt += datetime.timedelta(days=1)
        speak(engine, f"Alright, I will remind you about '{reminder}' at {hour:02d}:{minute:02d}.")
        while True:
            if datetime.datetime.now() >= reminder_dt:
                speak(engine, f"Reminder: {reminder}")
                break
    except ValueError:
        speak(engine, "Sorry, I couldn't understand the time you provided. Please try again.")

def create_todo_list(engine, command):
    todo_list = []
    speak(engine, "Let's create a to‑do list. Please say the tasks one by one. Say 'done' when you're finished.")
    while True:
        task = listen()
        if task == "done":
            break
        todo_list.append(task)
        speak(engine, f"Added: {task}")
    speak(engine, "Here's your to‑do list:")
    for task in todo_list:
        speak(engine, task)

def search_web(engine, command):
    terms = command.replace("search", "").strip()
    if terms:
        url = f"https://www.google.com/search?q={terms}"
        speak(engine, f"Searching for '{terms}'")
        webbrowser.open(url)
    else:
        speak(engine, "Please provide a search term.")

def show_help(engine):
    help_text = """
I can help you with the following tasks:
1. Set reminders
2. Create to‑do lists
3. Search the web
4. Show available commands
5. Exit
"""
    print(help_text)
    speak(engine, help_text)

Finally, the main loop ties everything together:

def main():
    engine = initialize_engine()
    speak(engine, "Hello, I am your voice assistant. How can I help you today?")
    while True:
        command = listen()
        if "reminder" in command:
            set_reminder(engine, command)
        elif "to-do" in command or "todo" in command:
            create_todo_list(engine, command)
        elif "search" in command:
            search_web(engine, command)
        elif "help" in command:
            show_help(engine)
        elif "exit" in command or "quit" in command:
            speak(engine, "Goodbye!")
            break

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Adjusting Speech Rate (Optional)

To slow down the voice output, modify initialize_engine as follows:

def initialize_engine():
    engine = pyttsx3.init()
    rate = engine.getProperty('rate')
    engine.setProperty('rate', rate - 50)
    return engine

Conclusion

Using GPT‑4 to generate the Python code dramatically speeds up the development of a functional voice assistant, providing a solid foundation for further customization and integration.