Generative Voice AI

It seems like everyone's buzzing about generative AI these days. Big names in AI like ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, and Midjourney have made waves in the tech scene and beyond. They're often hailed as some of the coolest recent breakthroughs in AI. And while opinions vary, the common feeling is that we've entered a new era of powerful tools. In 2023, we can expect AI models that assist with drawing or video creation. Just as we ask about the newest smartphones now, soon we'll be inquiring about the latest and greatest foundational AI model. But amidst this buzz, there's one segment that's not getting its due attention: voice AI. This is where we at Eleven want to shine. We harness the power of deep learning daily to drive our realistic text-to-speech and voice cloning tools. Plus, we're rolling out our own generative model, giving users the ability to craft brand new synthetic voices from the ground up.

Voice Generator - design a voice

Every day, our platform becomes the stage where characters come to life, whether it's for audiobooks, video games, or fan creations. However, we noticed that our existing voice library didn't provide enough variety for users to find the perfect, unique voice for their projects. So, we decided to empower users to create entirely bespoke synthetic voices.

This innovation sprouted from reevaluating our existing tools for voice synthesis and cloning. Both processes hinge on capturing the essence of a unique voice. This essence is stored in speaker embeddings - a digital fingerprint of a speaker's voice. This led to an epiphany: we could use a special model to tap into this speaker embeddings space, enabling endless new voice creations.

However, we understood our users' desire to control specific voice attributes. So, we enhanced our model to allow customization based on various voice features. Now, you can define key voice attributes like gender, age, accent, pitch, and speaking style. This means that every 'generate' command, even with identical base settings, produces a unique, never-before-heard voice.

Here are some voice samples crafted using this approach:

Voice Design' will be launched on our platform this coming February, under the Voice Lab feature

What's the use?

Our technology already delivers speech that mirrors human authenticity, and we anticipate the realm of potential uses for synthesized voices to grow exponentially. A lot of these emerging applications, whether they're for news audio segments or advertisements, will necessitate exclusive rights to a particular voice, ensuring its association with a single brand or narrative. In scenarios like storytelling or video gaming, there's a premium on versatility and the liberty to innovate from the onset. Instead of offering a vast catalog of preset virtual speakers, we felt it essential to empower our users to decide which voices align best with their objectives.

Book

For authors, this innovation does more than just converting their text to audible content. They also get a say in the artistry of narration, providing their readers novel auditory experiences and broadening the array of literature available in audio format.

News

As news agencies dive deeper into the audio realm, selecting a voice that stands out becomes crucial. Readers not only prioritize content but also the distinctiveness of the voice delivering it. Now, publishers can ensure that their chosen voice remains exclusive to their brand.

Video game

Game developers are given a golden opportunity to bring life to the vast number of non-playable characters, all with the resources right at their disposal. This means achieving cost efficiency without sacrificing quality, all the while crafting voices exclusive to their game universes.

Advertising

For advertisers crafting campaigns, the ability to initiate voiceovers that align perfectly with their vision from the project's outset is invaluable. They can instantaneously test various voices and tones without incurring extra costs.

From creators

The potential spans beyond just content creators. From corporate communications to multimedia producers, the prospects for curating distinctive and purpose-driven audio have become boundless.

Responsible AI Implementation

The rapid advancements in voice cloning have indeed raised concerns about potential misuse and the broader implications of AI encroaching on professional fields. At Eleven, we envision a future where voice artists can license their unique voices for AI training, thereby earning a fee. This doesn’t mean sidelining human talent; in fact, AI integration will allow for quicker turnarounds and more flexibility during the early phases of project development. The paradigm might shift in terms of how audio content is produced, but this tech-driven approach empowers voice actors. They can participate in multiple projects simultaneously without being physically present and have the unique chance to immortalize their art.

Additionally, what excites us is the prospect of making vast amounts of content – like books, news articles, indie games, and more – available in audio form, especially for creators who couldn’t previously afford professional recordings. This democratization not only diversifies content but also broadens its reach.

Our commitment at Eleven extends beyond just providing a service:

• We prioritize collaboration with clients who respect our ethical guidelines, ensuring that our technology is never leveraged for illicit or harmful purposes.
• To ensure transparency, we are developing a watermarking system for our AI-generated audio, making its origin traceable.
• Any use of recognizable voices for demonstrations is done judiciously, avoiding any conflicts of interest.
• We stand alongside voice artists and their licensing partners in safeguarding their rights. Any reported violations will be scrutinized and addressed.

Looking ahead - enhance your own voice

Looking ahead, our ambition is to blend the strengths of our voice generation and cloning technologies, offering users the chance to refine and enhance their own voice. Imagine being able to take your voice and fine-tune its characteristics; from adding vibrancy to a monotone pitch to overcoming the discomfort of hearing your own recorded voice by making it sound more polished. Whether you're preparing a pre-recorded speech or sending an audio message, our intuitive tools will empower you to produce authentic audio effortlessly with just a simple click.

Image credit: Elevenlabs.io