Voice cloning technology can replicate a person's voice using a short sample, as little as 3 seconds, to create a deepfake audio clip.

This technology uses AI and deep learning to replicate a person's voice.

AI voice cloning tools are available online, requiring minimal technical knowledge and cost.

ElevenLabs has developed an AI voice cloning tool that can replicate voices in multiple languages.

The tool requires a three-second clip and some text to work.

OpenAI's text-to-speech tool generates a natural-sounding human voice from a 15-second voice clip and text.

China Media Group has launched its first AI-dubbed English documentary, making it accessible to English speakers through AI-dubbing.

AI voice cloning technology generates lifelike digital replicas of human voices.

There are concerns about the potential misuse of AI voice cloning technology, including copyright violation.

Scammers are using deepfake audio to impersonate executives and trick employees into transferring funds or sharing passwords.

Cybersecurity experts recommend awareness and precautions, like extra verification steps, to prevent deepfake audio scams.

The FCC has ruled that AI-generated voice calls are subject to the TCPA, aiding state attorneys general in combating voice cloning scams.

Digital voice generation poses unprecedented societal risks, necessitating companies to adhere to strict ethical standards.

OpenAI used a Scarlett Johansson-like voice in their chatbot without her consent, prompting her to hire legal counsel.

The OpenAI incident with Scarlett Johansson's voice raises questions about the ethics and legality of voice cloning technology.

Metrics for evaluating voice cloning technology's impact on language instruction include student engagement, pronunciation accuracy, and language proficiency.

To create realistic listening materials with voice cloning, prioritize quality platforms with precise voice reproduction.

Adjusting the tone, pace, and accent is crucial for genuine and engaging speech.

For lo

Voice cloning technology can replicate a person's voice using a short sample, as little as 3 seconds, to create a deepfake audio clip.

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Content: Aug 31, 2022

Now, software can replicate your boss’s voice and tell you what to do

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"Deepfake" audio technology is here, and scammers are taking advantage.

If you’re listening to or have already listened to the beginning of this episode, you probably noticed that the voice introducing Kimberly Adams sounded a bit off, right?

That’s because it’s an audio “deepfake,” and it was created by Yisroel Mirsky at the Offensive AI Research Lab through a process called voice cloning.

It uses software to study a short sample of someone’s voice and create a deepfake, which in this case took only 15 seconds to generate, according to Mirsky.

It’s far from a perfect replica, but it turns out that scammers recently started to use deepfake audio for telephone scams and in some cases have succeeded.

Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently spoke with Kyle Alspach, a cybersecurity reporter with Protocol, about how the tech behind audio deepfakes works and how they’re being used in phone scams. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Kyle Alspach: The technology involves having [artificial intelligence], deep learning, and it takes an audio sample of someone’s voice. It can be as little as three seconds, and it trains itself on the way that this person sounds. And it creates a model that can then be used to replicate that person’s voice. The current way that it works is you have to use text to speech, which is just you type in a phrase, and then it speaks using the cloned voice.

Kimberly Adams: How are these audio deepfakes being used in scams?

Alspach: So they’re, at least we know, being used to target businesses at this point, especially larger businesses. Someone will call up pretending to be someone else with someone else’s voice, typically some kind of executive or someone’s boss, and ask them to transfer funds or ask them for password credentials, that kind of thing. And in some cases, they have been successful.

Adams: Do you have a sense of how common audio deepfakes are now? And where do experts in the industry see it going?

Alspach: You know, among the larger businesses, I think more and more of them are starting to see these because they’re really ripe targets for this kind of thing. But right now, I don’t think that it’s something that a lot of people are seeing, but it is the beginning of this kind of technology being used in this way.

Adams: What do cybersecurity experts suggest that regular people or businesses do to avoid falling for these deepfake audio scams?

Alspach: For business purposes, for instance, if you’re going to transfer money, you might want to add some additional steps to that process and involve someone saying some kind of challenge phrase or something like that, that everyone’s agreed on beforehand, [to] prevent that from happening. But the biggest thing is just to be aware that it might happen to you and to pay attention when someone calls you up and make sure that it actually sounds the way you would expect, and they are asking you for things that they normally would be asking you for. It’s really at this point kind of a low-tech approach to defending against this kind of thing. But really, it’s just creating the possibility in your mind of this happening. And I guess, unfortunately, you kind of have to become more skeptical now when people call you up.

You can read more of Alspach’s reporting on audio deepfakes here.

Yisroel Mirsky told us that the tech he used to generate the deepfake audio for Alspach’s article, and for our show, is “relatively old.”

Alspach also mentioned in his piece that there is an open-source voice cloning tool online that anyone — even scammers can download and potentially use.

But as we found out, getting that software to work isn’t a simple process of downloading and hitting the Install button.

Tech barriers can stop you at a number of steps in the process. Like, if you don’t know the coding language Python or if your computer isn’t powerful enough, you’ll likely be unable to use it, as our producer Daniel Shin discovered.

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As part of a nonprofit newsroom, we’re counting on listeners like you to keep this public service paywall-free and available to all.

Support “Marketplace Tech” in any amount today and become a partner in our mission.

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What is necessary for voice cloning to work?

This technology uses AI and deep learning to replicate a person's voice.

AI voice cloning tools are available online, requiring minimal technical knowledge and cost.

Title:

Content: The scary side of artificial intelligence

The pros of AI outweigh the Cons or threats in our day-to-day lives, and there’s no magic pill to protect us from the scary threats of AI.

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  • Updated On Oct 3, 2023 at 03:02 PM IST

Artificial intelligence (AI), as we all know, is the simulation of human intelligence leveraging computer systems and machines. AI programs can continuously learn and evolve with experience. In technical terms, AI systems render the output by churning and analyzing the data for correlations and patterns and help make future predictions using these patterns.

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Today AI is being used extensively in all facets of our lives starting from lifestyle, e-commerce, home appliances, automobiles, navigation, transport, healthcare, agriculture, education, financial planning, chatbots, marketing, cyber security, virtual assistant, industrial automation and many more.

Clearly, we have and are leveraging the strengths of AI to the fullest to automate the routine tasks and make it auto-learn over a period. There’s no doubt that AI has revolutionized the lives of all – organizations, consumers etc. But as they say, “Everything comes at a price”. This analogy is quite true for AI as well, there have been a lot of threats that have emerged using AI and are being utilized by the Cyber criminals to dupe the ignorant users, cause mental stress and extort money.

continued below

Executive Workshop

I’m not going to delve into all of threats but would like to elucidate some of the real ones that have come to the surface recently:

Voice cloning or mimicry

As the name suggests, it uses machine learning algorithms to simulate anyone’s voice. It requires certain voice data to analyze and learn the specific patterns of any individual. There are certain advantages of cloning a voice that can be used in voice assistants, chatbots, navigation systems and other areas. Voice cloning has existed for a while but was restricted to experts who possess the technical knowledge to be able to use the same. But now AI Voice cloning tools are available on the open Internet that anyone can leverage with literally no technical knowledge or cost to clone anyone’s voice. All you need to do is just Google and it will pop up and get a bunch of both free and paid AI Voice cloning tools.

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In fact, recently one of the global leaders in online protection published a report stating how AI is fueling a rise in online voice scams, with just three seconds of audio required to clone a person’s voice. This is extremely creepy. Just imagine, if a Cyber-criminal clones your voice and tricks your near ones by making them believe that they are talking to you, and request for money due to any distress reasons. In fact, these are not assumptions but real-life incidents that are happening across the world every minute.

Deepfakes AI

Deepfakes AI are being used to impersonate an individual by manipulating videos, images, audios, and other content available on the social media platforms using deep learning techniques. It mainly transforms existing content from one person to another. This is another area that has been exploited by the Cyber criminals in the recent past, and there are a few deepfake cases that have made waves on the Internet. One of the most famous ones being Deepfake created by a VFX artist of one of Hollywood’s most famous male actors. This piece was so well made by rendering thousands of pictures using artificial versions of the actor. There are similar Deepfakes incidents involving other global celebrities and leaders. The damage and misuse of the deepfakes videos could be extremely dangerous for the human society and can be used by terrorists to incite riots and create nuisance.

Creating virtual people

This is another area where AI is being used to create people that do not exist. There are a lot of websites that allow you to generate a random image by just specifying the age group, gender & ethnicity, and you can continue to refresh these images at the click of a button. Be mindful of the fact that these images pertain to people that do not exist in this world. On the similar lines, there’s an emerging trend of AI news anchors that possess a human-like appearance and are fed data that they can read using text-to-speech technology. Recently, there's been a surge of AI-Driven robotic new anchors in multiple language channels. While the main objective of this initiative is to provide royalty free or cost-effective human images for branding and other purposes. However, the overuse of these technologies causes Fear of missing out (FOMO), Feeling of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation may potentially lead to psychological and emotional vulnerabilities.

One of the Hollywood movies, ‘HER’ portrayed an introverted and lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) who purchases an AI virtual assistant personified through a female voice to assist him in his writing job. However, when he finds out about its ability to learn and adapt, he falls in love with it. The film delves into emotional vulnerability and the impact of AI on human relationships.

Needless to say, that the pros of AI outweigh the Cons or threats in our day-to-day lives, and there’s no magic pill to protect us from the scary threats of AI. However, there are certain preventive tips that one can follow to mitigate any such risks. Do spread awareness with your family and friends:

  • Set some code words with family, and friends to verify the identity during emergency circumstances
  • Optimize social media presence by limiting your connections with only known contacts and avoid connecting with any unknown ones
  • Avoid saying ‘Yes’ as a greeting while receiving unknown calls as it can be used to authorize credit card charges or other purposes
  • Continuously update privacy settings on social media to allow viewing by friends and family only
  • Avoid clicking on any suspicious links or calls received without proper due diligence
  • Do not share your passwords and other sensitive information with anyone
  • Verify the credentials of any online information before circulating it through various mediums
  • Avoid public Wi-Fi connections offered at coffee shops or airports, which requires to enter password
  • Closely monitor the time spent by younger generation on social media and online gaming
  • Finally, in case of any suspicion, double check and report it to the host site or concerned authorities
The author is the CIO of MOVIN

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETCIO does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETCIO shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organization directly or indirectly.

  • Published On Oct 3, 2023 at 03:02 PM IST

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ElevenLabs has developed an AI voice cloning tool that can replicate voices in multiple languages.

Title:

Content: Language No Barrier: New AI tool can clone voice and make it say anything in multiple languages

Imagine former US President Donald Trump speaking in flawless Hindi. A new AI voice cloning tool by ElevenLabs can clone voices and make them say anything in a bunch of different languages. All it needs is a three-second sample clip and a bit of text as the prompt.

Mehul Reuben Das May 03, 2023 13:42:20 IST

Imagine former US President Donald Trump speaking in flawless Hindi. A new AI voice cloning tool by ElevenLabs can clone voices and make them say anything in a bunch of different languages. All it needs is a three-second sample clip and a bit of text as the prompt.

As advanced as AI-based voice cloning has been, there were a few limitations to it. For example, voice generators were mainly bound by the language of the source they were trained in or rather the language of the prompt that was given to them. Now, ElevenLabs, an American AI software developing company has come up with a tool that does away with that limitation.

ElevenLabs’ new AI tool can clone the voice of a person and make it say anything in a bunch of different languages. All it needs is a clear voice sample of about 3 seconds, although it also suggests that the longer the sample, the better will be the results. The new tool even manages to maintain the speaker’s original tone of voice.

Limitless possibilities
The creators expect that this would ‘extend the possibilities’ in a variety of industries such as publishing, gaming creation, and media. “Introducing Eleven Multilingual v1: Our New Speech Synthesis Model! We’re thrilled to launch our new model supporting seven new languages: French, German, Hindi, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.”

“This advancement expands the horizons for creators, game developers, and publishers, and it paves the way for using generative media to create more localized, accessible, and imaginative content,” the company said.

Following the announcement, Twitter was flooded with comments, with users testing the software on various famous faces.

To demonstrate just how capable the new voice cloning AI tool is, Eluna AI, a platform for AI-content creators experimented with a sample clip of former US President Donald Trump.

In their demo, Eluna AI showcased a small clip of Donald Trump, speaking in his native tongue, English, followed by French, Spanish, German, Hindi and Italian, almost perfectly. The generated samples even gets the accent right, almost if he was a native speaker of the new target language.

Another user changed David Attenborough’s voice to German while the BBC broadcaster discussed the prospects of AI. “With this tool, anyone can do it,” stated the Twitter user. “It’s also worth noting that fraudsters will undoubtedly exploit this one.”

ElevenLabs says that its model was designed to understand the emotion and reasoning underlying words in order to produce natural-sounding and persuasive audio. ElevenLabs has said that some numerals and symbols are currently spoken wrongly, but that it is striving to rectify this.

Who is this new tool meant to help?
The US-based company believes its technology will be valuable in a variety of areas, including education and journalism.

Game developers and publishers can build engaging, localised experiences for worldwide audiences, breaking through language barriers and connecting with players and listeners to maximise engagement and efficiency while maintaining quality and accuracy.

“Educational institutions now have the ability to develop audio content for varied users in their target languages, enhancing language comprehension and even pronunciation abilities, as well as responding to different teaching methods and learning demands,” says the report.

Because of the model’s capacity to produce unique character-like voices, audiobook and content developers may also find it beneficial.

The conundrum of AI voice genertors
Despite its benefits, ElevenLabs’ launch comes amid widespread concern about the wave of new voice cloning technology. An unidentified TikTok user went popular last month after sharing an AI-generated Drake song starring The Weeknd.

It sparked concerns about the grey area of AI-created music and whether it constitutes a copyright violation. Nonetheless, ElevenLabs claims to be ‘fully committed’ to respecting creators’ rights in the midst of technological advancements.

“At Eleven, we think that we should seek to make the best use of emerging technology, but not at any expense,” it stated.

“As we create them, we make every effort to put suitable controls in place that reduce the possibility of detrimental abuse. With this in mind, we are entirely committed to both protecting intellectual property rights and taking action against infringement.”

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Music labels are worried because of AI, thanks to a surprising new song ft. Drake X The Weeknd

Someone used AI to create a whole new song featuring Drake and The Weeknd. But because the singers never sang the song, artists and music labels are worried, how AI voice modulation and AI-generated songs can disrupt the industry.

World

Artificial Imposter: 47% of Indian phone users have experienced AI voice scams, highest in the world

About half of Indian adults, or 47%, have experienced AI voice scams, nearly double the global average of 25%. Furthermore, nearly 69% of adults say they can't differentiate between a real and an AI-generated voice.

The tool requires a three-second clip and some text to work.

OpenAI's text-to-speech tool generates a natural-sounding human voice from a 15-second voice clip and text.

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Speech cloning raises concerns, OpenAI again explains its text-to-speech tool
2024 / 6 / 10 9: 57: 21 Source: IT House Author: Yuanyang Editor: Yuanyang
OpenAI explained its text-to-speech tool for the second time in a few months, and again stressed that the tool is not currently widely available and may not be available in the future.
“Whether or not we end up deploying this technology at scale, it ’ s important for people around the world to understand where it ’ s going, ” OpenAI said in a statement on its website Friday.“ That ’ s why we want to explain how the model works, how we use it for research and education, and how we implement security measures around the technology. ”
At the end of last year, OpenAI shared its “voice engine ” with a small number of external users.
The engine uses text input and a 15-second clip of human voices to “generate a natural sounding human voice that is very similar to the original speaker. ”
The tool could create fake, multilingual human voices, and the company said at the time that it had chosen to preview the technology rather than launch it at scale to “enhance social resilience ” to the threat posed by“ increasingly realistic artificial intelligence-generated models. ”
As part of these efforts, OpenAI says it is actively phasing out ways to use voice recognition for bank account verification, exploring policies to protect individual voices for use in AI, educating the public about the risks of AI, and accelerating the development of technologies to track audiovisual content so users can identify whether they are interacting with real people or synthetic content.
However, despite these efforts, concerns about the technology remain.
Bruce Reed, the head of artificial intelligence for US President Joe Biden, has said that voice cloning is one of the reasons he can't sleep at night.
The Federal Trade Commission said in March that scammers were using AI technology to increase the credibility of their fraud, using voice cloning tools that make it harder for people to distinguish between AI-generated voices and human voices.
“We continue to engage with U.S. and international partners from government, media, entertainment, education, civil society, and more to ensure we incorporate their feedback in the build process, ” the company also noted, once the“ Voice Engine ” is equipped with its latest model, GPT-4o, it will also bring new threats.
The company says it is actively “conducting ‘ red team testing ’ on GPT-4o to identify and address known and unknown risks from areas such as social psychology, bias and fairness, and misinformation. ”
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What is necessary for voice cloning to work?

China Media Group has launched its first AI-dubbed English documentary, making it accessible to English speakers through AI-dubbing.

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China Media Group Debuts AI-dubbed English Documentary, Pioneering Global Communication

China Media Group launches its first AI-dubbed English documentary, enhancing global reach and fostering international understanding through advanced AI technology.

Aqsa Younas Rana
Updated On
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In a groundbreaking move, China Media Group has launched its first AI-dubbed English documentary, marking a significant milestone in the use of artificial intelligence for global media outreach. This innovative approach to dubbing not only showcases the advancements in AI technology but also underscores China's ambitions to foster better international communication and understanding. Through this initiative, the documentary, originally produced in Mandarin, has been made accessible to a broader English-speaking audience, enhancing its global reach and impact.

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Revolutionizing Content Accessibility

The application of AI in dubbing the documentary into English reflects a growing trend in leveraging technology to bridge language barriers. Similar to the educational advancements discussed in 'Voice Cloning in Education: Bridging Language Gaps in Learning Environments,' this initiative by China Media Group capitalizes on the potential of AI voice cloning technology. By generating lifelike digital replicas of human voices, the documentary's AI-dubbed version maintains the authenticity of the original narration while making it understandable for English-speaking viewers. This technological leap not only improves accessibility but also ensures the delivery of content with emotional depth and cultural nuances intact.

The launch of this AI-dubbed documentary serves as a testament to China's commitment to enhancing global dialogue and cultural exchange. By removing language barriers, China Media Group is effectively broadening the documentary's audience, enabling people from different parts of the world to gain insights into Chinese culture, history, and perspectives. This initiative aligns with the broader objective of promoting mutual understanding and respect among diverse global communities, paving the way for more inclusive and informed international discourse.

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Setting New Standards in Media Production

China Media Group's pioneering use of AI technology in documentary dubbing sets new standards for media production and distribution. It illustrates the potential of AI to transform traditional media practices, making content more accessible and engaging for global audiences. As AI technology continues to evolve, it is likely to open up further possibilities for creating multilingual content, thereby enhancing the reach and impact of media across borders. This development also raises important considerations regarding the ethical use of voice cloning technology, underscoring the need for guidelines that ensure its responsible application in media and beyond.

As we reflect on the implications of this technological advancement, it becomes clear that AI-dubbed media content holds significant promise for fostering international understanding and cooperation. By making diverse cultural and educational materials available in multiple languages, we can build a more connected and informed world. The initiative by China Media Group not only highlights the practical applications of AI in media but also invites us to contemplate the future of global communication in an increasingly digital age.

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AI voice cloning technology generates lifelike digital replicas of human voices.

What has the US Federal Trade Commission warned about the use of voice cloning tools?

Difficult to distinguish from human voice

There are concerns about the potential misuse of AI voice cloning technology, including copyright violation.

Scammers are using deepfake audio to impersonate executives and trick employees into transferring funds or sharing passwords.

What do cybersecurity experts believe about the use of synthesized voice?

could become a popular method of attacking banks and financial services

Cybersecurity experts recommend awareness and precautions, like extra verification steps, to prevent deepfake audio scams.

The FCC has ruled that AI-generated voice calls are subject to the TCPA, aiding state attorneys general in combating voice cloning scams.

Title:

Content: Moving at rapid speed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just announced its unanimous adoption of a new Declaratory Ruling finding that voice calls using artificial intelligence (AI)-generated voices fall under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The ruling takes effect immediately and gives state attorneys general powerful new tools to go after voice cloning scams. Under FCC rules, telemarketers that use robocalls subject to the TCPA are required to obtain prior express written consent from the consumer unless an exemption applies. The TCPA has always prohibited the use of both prerecorded and artificial voices but advances in AI-generated voices have prompted the FCC to specifically address their use.

In recent years, scammers and other parties have begun using AI to create fake and even "cloned" artificial voices, including those of celebrities, politicians, and even a call recipient's family member. In this election season, there has been increasing concern about the use of voice clones to engage in voter suppression schemes.

Concerned about the potential malevolent uses of these AI-generated voice calls, the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in November on the topic of "Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies on Protecting Consumers from Unwanted Robocalls and Robotexts." In the NOI, the FCC asked questions regarding the use of "AI-influenced" technologies in robocalling. A coalition of 26 state attorneys general, as well as a telecommunication carrier trade group, strongly urged the FCC to take action to give the attorneys general clear authority to act against AI-generated robocall violators.

The FCC now has made clear that the use of voice cloning in telephone calls and texts falls within the FCC's statutory authority under the TCPA. A major intent of the ruling is to communicate that the TCPA "does not allow for any carve-out of technologies that purport to provide the equivalent of a live agent, thus preventing unscrupulous businesses from attempting to exploit any perceived ambiguity in our TCPA rules."

As FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained, "with this Declaratory Ruling, we will have another tool to go after voice cloning scams and get this junk off the line."

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Digital voice generation poses unprecedented societal risks, necessitating companies to adhere to strict ethical standards.

Title:

Content: Advertisement
Technology and Science
Technical expert talks about the danger of "falsifying" sounds: "5 minutes is enough"
22-10-2023 | 23: 00
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Noufal Tonsi, sales manager at digital voice human performance services company Acapella, said on Saturday that the digital voice creation market is developing rapidly, opening up “unlimited prospects ” for developers and content makers, but warned of“ unprecedented risks ” facing society.
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On the sidelines of GITEX 2023 in Dubai, Tonsi said that “just five minutes of pure sound recorded in someone ’ s voice is enough to create a digital version of his voice, to make it easy to make him utter any words in the same language, ” noting that“ it has become easy to use the voice of any influential or famous person to fabricate facts and spread rumors. ”
The Belgian company official added that "care must be taken in dealing with the techniques of generative artificial intelligence," noting that "voice performance professionals are at risk due to the development of digital voice generation technologies."
Tunisi stated that his company does not intend to enter the market of providing digital voice creation services to individuals, which is led largely by ElevenLabs.
He urged companies operating in this market to "adhere to an advanced level of ethical standards, to protect themselves from legal accountability on the one hand, and to prevent the dissemination of misinformation on the other."
He pointed out that "Acapella" is currently working to provide the service of simultaneous audio translation of audio clips between different languages, while maintaining the same voice and performance of the speaker.
Several major companies have entered the market for voice translation services, mainly Spotify and YouTube.
Acapella ’ s digital sounds can speak more than 30 languages, including Arabic, English, French, Turkish, Spanish and Italian, and offers a feature called Voice Smileys that provides digital sounds with the ability to express different emotions, giving a human character to manufactured sounds.
Tounsi said that Acapella has worked for 22 years to build and train its own smart models capable of delivering human performance of digital voices, to serve the goals of its customers in the marketing and promotional sectors, as well as to support people of determination who are unable to speak, to voice themselves.
He pointed out that the company's work with people of determination is the only aspect of its cooperation with individuals, explaining that the company provides the visually impaired and the blind with intelligent voice assistants through its service Infovox3, which allows the user to interact with any text appearing on his computer screen, saying that "the service reads the text aloud, and then the user can interact with his voice commands with his device."
He pointed out that "Acapella" offers its services to people with speech problems by enabling them to create a digital copy of their voice through recording audio clips with a variety of performance, so that the patient uses that copy to interact with the world naturally later.
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What are some risks regarding AI voice clning?

What do cybersecurity experts believe about the use of synthesized voice?

could become a popular method of attacking banks and financial services

OpenAI used a Scarlett Johansson-like voice in their chatbot without her consent, prompting her to hire legal counsel.

Title:

Content: "I was forced to hire legal counsel," actress Scarlett Johansson responds after Microsoft partner OpenAI 'clones' her voice for ChatGPT

What you need to know

  • Recently, Microsoft partner OpenAI demonstrated new AI tools that come with natural language conversational dialogue.
  • The "voice" chosen sounded eerily similar to Samantha in the AI Netflix movie "Her," voiced by Scarlett Johansson of Marvel Avengers fame.
  • OpenAI mysteriously pulled the voice yesterday, likely ahead of planned legal action by Johansson.
  • Today, Johansson issued a statement confirming that OpenAI had essentially begged her for the rights to her voice, despite claiming it had used other voice actors in a large and defensive article.
  • Microsoft is partnered with OpenAI for language models, following a multi-year, multi-billion dollar investment.

Shared exclusively via NPR, Marvel Avengers alumni Scarlett Johansson has reacted angrily to OpenAI's seeming theft of her voice to power its new AI assistants. In the statement, Johansson shares that she has sought legal counsel, and will be persuing action against the firm which could have widespread implications for the legalities of ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and similar technologies.

Microsoft's Copilot assistant is powered by OpenAI's language models, based on GPT-4. Last week, OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman demonstrated the latest version of GPT, which feels like a large leap in natural language reproduction. However, users noted the strange familiarity in the AI's voice. Similar to the AI from the Netflix movie "Her," OpenAI's own artificial assistant sounded eerily similar to Scarlett Johansson.

"I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference."

See the full statement below.

Seemingly aware they were about to get sued, OpenAI pulled the voice technology yesterday, and released a large and very defensive tranche explaining how it arrived at the oddly familiar tones. OpenAI doesn't seem to think its defence will hold up in a court of law, however, given that it has fully pulled the voice work despite claiming it was produced from 400 submissions and bespoke recordings at its HQ.

OpenAI drags Microsoft into murky waters

The pace of development of AI is at complete odds with the pace of legislative interest. Bureaucracy-laden governments in the west are utterly unprepared to deal with the deluge of issues artificial intelligence is going to cause with regards to copyright, false information, and beyond — even before we consider how entire industries will vanish over night.

Today at Microsoft's AI and Surface Event, the firm unveiled a range of new features that Microsoft Copilot will produce, including in-game answers in Minecraft, as well as the ability to recall previous files. Microsoft has emphasized that its AI systems won't send your data up to the cloud unless you explicitly opt-in. This is all thanks to new NPU neural processing units that will perform AI tasks on local hardware, as part of Microsoft's new Copilot+ AI PC initiative.

AI systems like the voice powering OpenAI's ChatGPT tools or indeed, ChatGPT itself, requires masses of human-created data in order for computers to remix the information and reproduce it. That requires millions of articles, comments, photos, videos, and other types of content "borrowed" by Microsoft and its partners, without any form of compensation. This potential Scarlett Johansson legal action is just the tip of a murky legal iceberg that Microsoft potentially finds itself directly in front of.

Co-Managing Editor

Jez Corden is a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

The OpenAI incident with Scarlett Johansson's voice raises questions about the ethics and legality of voice cloning technology.

Title:

Content: OpenAI's Johansson gaffe pushes voice cloning into spotlight

Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone

By AFP

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Scarlett Johansson voiced an AI character in the film "Her". — Reuters file

Published: Mon 27 May 2024, 7:51 PM

Last updated: Mon 27 May 2024, 7:52 PM

OpenAI was forced to apologise to actor Scarlett Johansson last week for using her voice -- or something very similar -- on its latest chatbot, throwing the spotlight on to voice-cloning tech.

Although OpenAI denied the voice they used was Johansson's, their case was not helped by CEO Sam Altman flagging the new model with a one-word message on social media -- "Her".

Johansson voiced an AI character in the film "Her", which Altman has previously said is his favourite film about the technology.

Right from the start, AI voice cloning has proved problematic.

Last year, British firm Elevenlabs went viral for all the wrong reasons when it released its voice-cloning software.

Internet pranksters immediately began pushing out deepfaked celebrities -- Harry Potter star Emma Watson was shown reading Hitler's Mein Kampf.

Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone.

The technology has developed rapidly in the past year becoming far more realistic and nuanced.

Danish entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli, CEO of British AI firm Synthesia, told AFP it was largely down to a program called Tortoise that was released two years ago.

The program's developers threw thousands of hours of voice data into their model in an unstructured way and discovered it not only learnt what to say but how to say it.

"That was a pretty big paradigm shift," Riparbelli said on the sidelines of last week's VivaTech conference in Paris.

Tortoise was an open source program and Elevenlabs was the first to go to market using it.

OpenAI uses similar systems though they do not release any details.

Much of the controversy around voice cloning has focused on concerns over people misusing the software.

But the claim against OpenAI is unusual because it is the company itself accused of playing fast and loose.

"It was very unfortunate that OpenAI did that -- really not very good," Katya Laine, CEO of TALKR.ai, told AFP at VivaTech.

"If they actually cloned her voice without her knowing then I think that's very very bad," said Riparbelli.

The two entrepreneurs are among hundreds harnessing AI voice programs for uses that they argue will make companies more efficient.

Laine's firm provides virtual voice assistants -- essentially AI customer service agents.

She said her firm's system could now resolve 25 to 30 percent of calls without any human involvement.

Synthesia specialises in video avatars, which Riparbelli said allowed any office worker to turn text or slides into a video performed by a realistic AI.

Both Riparbelli and Laine allow their clients to use their own avatars, off-the-shelf products or those supplied by the likes of OpenAI and Elevenlabs.

Riparbelli said Synthesia used actors whose likenesses and voices were licensed for two years with an option to renew after the initial period.

The problems arise if actors' voices are used without their consent.

The fiasco overshadowed a developer conference in Paris last week when OpenAI was showing off a suite of new tools.

In front of a big screen in an auditorium, Romain Huet, OpenAI's Head of Developer Experience, breezily chatted into his phone.

Seconds later, his short voice sample had been processed and could be heard commentating over a generated video -- in five languages.

The demonstration showed how quickly the field is moving, but the headlines had already been written.

The Washington Post asked in a newsletter "How dumb is OpenAI?", other commentators were suggesting wunderkind Altman was nothing more than a huckster.

Nonetheless, Riparbelli was open to OpenAI's argument that they had used another actor who just sounded liked Johansson.

"If it's not her but someone who sounds a lot like her... where do you draw that line," Riparbelli asked.

"If they're not allowed to use someone who sounds a lot like her, then it sets a very odd precedent."

More news from World

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Content: After the Scarlett Johansson incident.
Voice Reproduction by Artificial Intelligence in the Spotlight
T + T - normal size
Voice cloning technology raises many concerns with the adoption of a number of companies, such as OpenAI, the creator of the famous “Chat GBT ” program, who was finally forced to apologize to actress Scarlett Johansson after copying her voice in the latest version of her automated chat program.
OpenAI general manager Sam Altman apologized to the actress and announced the suspension of the voice of the help tool "Sky" on "Chat GBT."
The company made a presentation in September to Scarlett, who lent her voice about a decade ago to an artificial intelligence system in the film "Hair", but the actress refused to be the voice of the system of the new version of "Chat GBT".
OpenAI, for its part, denied that it had cloned Johansson's voice, noting that it had created its instrument using the voice of another actress.
News of acoustic tricks very similar to reality, fraud or misinformation using voice cloning is constantly making headlines, highlighting the ability of artificial intelligence systems to mimic human voices.
Last year, Eleven Labs, a startup working on an AI voice cloning tool, warned against abusive use of its software.
Unidentified users on the 4Chan forum had been circulating messages in which famous voices were cloned and made the voices uttered with inappropriate meanings.
In one audio clip, actress Emma Watson is heard reading a passage from Adolf Hitler ’ s Mein Kampf.
A paradigm shift.
The director of the startup, Danish businessman Viktor Ribarbelli, told AFP that the technology was largely created through an open-source software called Torts that was launched two years ago.
His company transforms text into video using an avatar created by artificial intelligence.
It employs actors whose voice and shape are subject to a two-year contract, with the possibility of renewal, said Ribarbelli, who was interviewed by AFP on the sidelines of the recent Vivatek exhibition of new technologies in Paris.
The Torts machine learning program analyzed thousands of hours of audio recordings and served as a base for the Eleven Labs app.
"It was an important qualitative shift," said Ribarbelli.
OpenAI uses similar software, although it does not disclose details.
With ChatGT4.0, the user can say a few sentences in French in front of the app, which in a matter of minutes can reproduce this audio and use it to narrate a short video in five different languages, OpenAI showed during a demonstration of the program in Paris.
Like this American company, hundreds of companies now offer voice cloning, which has become more realistic and accurate.
Among them is TALKR.ai, a French company for virtual voice assistants created by artificial intelligence.
The service can handle 25% to 30% of customer service calls without any human intervention, according to its president, Katya Linh.
Like Viktor Ribarbelli, Lenny sees the use of actors ’ voices without their consent as a red line.
As for what happened with Scarlett Johansson, Ribarbelli said: “If they clone her voice without her knowledge, it ’ s very bad, but if they don ’ t have the right to use someone ’ s voice that sounds very similar to her, it sets a very strange precedent. ”
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Metrics for evaluating voice cloning technology's impact on language instruction include student engagement, pronunciation accuracy, and language proficiency.

To create realistic listening materials with voice cloning, prioritize quality platforms with precise voice reproduction.

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Content: Home > Web3

AI Voice Over Generator: Turning Text to Speech in 24 Languages

newsonjapan.com -- Aug 15
Communication has crossed boundaries and languages in today's technology driven society.

The AI voice over generator, a sophisticated technology capable of translating written text into realistic speech in a variety of languages, is a driving force in this worldwide change. The astonishing capacity of these technologies to produce voice overs in 24 different languages, and often more, is propelling them to the forefront of digital communication. We go deep into the field of AI-driven text to voice below, giving practical tips for anybody interested in realizing its enormous potential.

Why Do Multilingual Skills Matter?

Language inclusion is critical for companies, schools, and content providers that want to reach a global audience. An AI voice over generator that handles various languages allows for a broader reach while also ensuring that no audience section feels alienated. Multilingual technologies, such as those that transform English transcripts into Mandarin audio or Spanish text into French voice, help to break down communication obstacles.

Practical User Advice:

Emphasize Quality Over Quantity: While having a tool that can translate text in several languages seems great, it is critical to emphasize output quality. Choose platforms that are well-known for their precision and realistic voice reproduction.

Adjust the Tone, pace, and Accent: A decent AI voice over generator enables users to adjust the tone, pace, and accent of the created speech. This adaptability guarantees that the discourse is genuine and connects with the intended listener.

Keep Up to Date: Because these technologies are based on AI, they are always improving. Regular software upgrades might bring new languages to the table or enhance current ones. To benefit from the most recent advances, keep your software up to date at all times.

Using Nuanced Speech to Bridge Cultural Gaps

Understanding a language entails understanding the nuances, intonations, and cultural nuances as well as the words themselves. Advanced AI voice over generators not only translate text to speech but also guarantee that the speech is emotionally appropriate. For example, the way a joke is presented in Japanese may vary from how it is shown in German. As a result, always use a tool that considers these subtleties in order to make the speech seem as genuine and culturally appropriate as feasible.

Potential Multilingual Text to Speech Applications:

E-Learning Platforms: Educators may build courses in one language and then utilize an AI voice over generator to translate them into numerous languages, guaranteeing that learners all over the globe can benefit.

Podcasts in different Languages: Podcast makers may reach a worldwide audience by giving their material in different languages without having to re-record episodes.

Global Business Presentations: Companies with a global presence may simply tailor their presentations to a variety of language audiences.

Scalability and pricing

Costs, like with any technology, might be an issue. With the rise of cloud-based solutions, however, many AI voice over producers now provide scalable price structures. There is undoubtedly a price option to meet your needs, whether you are an individual wishing to convert a few pages or an organization with mass requirements.

Data Privacy Is Important

Given that these technologies may be used to convert sensitive or private information, it is critical to address data privacy. Choose platforms that emphasize user data security to ensure that the material you convert stays private.

Extending the Multilingual Communication Landscape

As companies and organizations strive for a worldwide presence, the demand for multilingual communication has never been greater. Then there are AI voice over generators. These technologies provide companies, schools, and content producers an advantage by enabling them to cater to a varied audience.

Courses in numerous Languages: Educators and e-learning platforms may now offer their courses in numerous languages. Python programming may be learned in Mandarin by one student in Beijing and Portuguese by another in So Paulo. Learning results are improved by catering to their linguistic comfort. The student may concentrate on grasping the material rather than dealing with linguistic intricacies.

Digital Marketing: By employing the AI voice over generator to translate and vocalize their promotional material, brands can easily roll out worldwide campaigns. This not only saves time, but it also guarantees that the brand message is consistent across several languages.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) Systems: Companies may customize their customer service lines by using AI-generated voices in several languages. This provides a more personalized client experience, which may dramatically increase user happiness and loyalty.

Podcasters, YouTube makers, and digital storytellers may utilize these technologies to make their material accessible in several languages, extending their fan base and worldwide reach.

Language and Cultural Nuances

While these AI voice over generators' skills are astounding, users should be conscious of the subtleties and complexity of various languages and cultures. Even if a technology is capable of converting text to voice in 24 languages, the user must verify that the material is culturally appropriate and respectful. Certain idioms or phrases in English, for example, may not have a direct counterpart in another language or may be misconstrued.

AI engineers are tackling these issues by training their models on culturally varied datasets in order to capture the nuances of each language. However, it is also the users' responsibility to examine and, if required, change the created information to guarantee its relevancy and appropriateness.

Best Practices for Using AI Voice Over Generators

Here are some practical advice for individuals who want to fully use the possibilities of AI voice over generators:

Always Review the Output: Before completing, always listen to the created voice over. Check that your pronunciation, intonation, and emotion are appropriate for the context of your topic.

Customize Settings: Most programs enable users to change the pace, pitch, and other characteristics of their voice. Experiment with these options to get the desired result.

Keep up to date: The disciplines of AI and machine learning are rapidly growing. Use the most recent version of the program or application, since developers are always refining and improving their algorithms.

Request input: If your material is intended for a particular linguistic group, get input from native speakers. They may reveal insights that non-natives may miss.

In conclusion

In the digital age, the AI voice over generator is changing the way we interact. Its capacity to convert text into lifelike voice in different languages bridges barriers, fosters inclusion, and makes global communication easier than ever. Remember to consider quality, cultural subtlety, and data protection as you investigate the numerous products in the text to speech domain. By doing so, you get access to more than simply a tool; you also gain access to worldwide dialogues.

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Deepdub, a film dubbing company, uses an AI to process voice and translate into a different language and promises to preserve what?

Adjusting the tone, pace, and accent is crucial for genuine and engaging speech.

Deepdub, a film dubbing company, uses an AI to process voice and translate into a different language and promises to preserve what?

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