The latest frontier in creative tools powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is voice generators – technology capable of converting written text into spoken words. Such tools are not just abundant, but also affordable and user-friendly, making them more accessible to a wider audience. They are trained on large data sets of audio and some even employ natural language processing to make the produced audio sound more natural and human-like.
One of the outstanding AI voice generators is known as Udio. Launched in early April 2024, it was developed by former employees of Google DeepMind. Simple to use, it’s attracted a community of users who have created an array of songs in various genres. The basic features are available for free.
ElevenLabs is described more accurately as AI voice cloning software. It sports celebrity voices including Ariana Grande, Tom Hanks, and Taylor Swift due to a large userbase on TikTok. To use it, users should first download voice samples of their desired subject, and then feed those samples to ElevenLabs along with a script of what they want the AI voice to say.
Murf, another commendable AI voice generator, offers an all-in-one creative tool for users, allowing them to add images and music to the videos they create. It offers selectable characters representing different voice types such as “podcaster,” “author,” and “marketer.”
Synthesia, a powerful AI voice generator developed by a team of AI researchers from global universities, can generate voiceovers in over 130 languages. Large corporations like Zoom have used Synthesia to produce videos. It offers a free trial with limited features, as well as two reasonably priced subscription packages.
For creating celebrity AI voices, seeming the best choice would be ElevenLabs. With a valuation of US$1.1 billion, it is favoured by large companies. However, this tool, along with similar ones, has been widely misused by individuals to spread misinformation and commit fraud. It was involved in the deepfake incident involving President Joe Biden early in 2024.
Previously, in 2023, book publisher Harper Collins partnered with ElevenLabs to create AI-generated audio books for titles in foreign languages. Thus, while AI voice generators are powerful and innovative tools for creativity, they also pose significant ethical and legal challenges that need to be addressed.
