Imagine a world in which Morgan Freeman is narrating your shopping list or that Adele’s dulcet voice wakes you up each morning to remind you what you need to do. This is possible thanks to voice cloning. The technology is not confined to sci-fi anymore. Let’s mosey into this rabbit hole and see what is happening behind the scene.
In a nutshell, voice cloning produces a digital version of a person’s voice. It is an amazing feat–translating text into speech which mimics inflections of the human voice. The technology was initially developed to help people with speech disorders communicate more fluidly. However, it has been used in a wide range of other areas. AI-generated voices can be heard everywhere, from celebrities to virtual assistants.
My friend once tried to play a joke on me by using an app that cloned my voice. Imagine my surprise when Captain Picard sent me a birthday text message! The old voice changers used in spy films are a thing of the past. Cloning requires only a few seconds of audio data. What is the secret? Machine learning. It consumes voice samples to produce an audio match with uncanny accuracy.
Voice cloning, as fun as it might sound, isn’t just rainbows and picnics. What’s stopping anyone from making mischief with voice cloning? Imagine you receive an urgent call from your superior, who is perfectly vocalized, and demands that sensitive company information be provided immediately. Chilling, isn’t it? This technology can be used for both good intentions and unfortunately, bad ones. You could say that it is a sharper-than-it seems double-edged weapon.
There’s more. This technology has made entertainment richer. Imagine an animated film whose voice is provided entirely by celebrities, who are unaware of their inclusion in the final cut. Producers can schedule gigs more efficiently while providing audiences with a star studded lineup. Face it, we all nod in agreement. It is also a good way to preserve voices who have passed on, and allows artists to continue to voice their legacy or unreleased tracks.
As we meander through the legal tangles that this technology has created, what about copyright concerns? What if you used Beyonce’s voice in a podcast? Would that be a cause for lawsuits to follow? Consent and who can use this power responsibly are two issues that concern people. Bottom line: there will be a lot of discussion, legislative tinkering and stringent safeguards.
Voice cloning also has a snowball effect in the corporate world. Customer service is only one of many cogs in the machine. Businesses are not only adopting bespoke voices, but also creating AI interaction that feels organic. It’s similar to having a constant friend on the telephone.
Let’s drop one last pebble into the conversational pond. Where do we draw our lines for authenticity? The societies will have to decide how human they want to be as these waves of artificial echos wash up onto our shores. Balancing privacy and innovation will be a journey that dances on the edge of a blade, possibly leading us into unknown territory.
Do we feel ready to dive into this vocal abyss, as we walk alongside our clones. You are the judge. Next time you recognize a voice, remember that it might be digital deja-vu.