AI technology seems like something out of a
sci-fi movie, but it already exists in an accessible form in real life. Learn
all about AI clone voice that simulates anyone's voice.
AI clone voices already exist. Very different
from the robotic speech of virtual assistants such as Siri, Alexa, or Cortana.
This new technology can reproduce actual speech patterns,
giving intonation and even bringing an emotional charge to the speech.
Although it represents a tremendous technological advance
that can even help include people with disabilities.
This feature is also related to many controversies, such as copyright issues, the possibility of losing voice actors' jobs, and the application of scams. Find out below how this technology works, its possible uses, and its risks.
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What is an AI clone voice?
AI voice cloning employs deep learning techniques to analyze
and mimic human speech patterns.
This marks a significant advancement beyond conventional
synthetic voices, including those from Google or Apple's virtual assistants,
capable of converting text into speech but lacking natural intonation and
emotion.
This novel technology merges machine learning strategies with
artificial neural networks, mirroring how the human brain processes data.
These systems are fed vast datasets encompassing diverse
speech patterns, vocal traits, languages, and accents. All this data is
processed to establish a "speech synthesis" system.
Thus, these AI can simulate human speech realistically,
intonating the text and copying emotions.
Some programs of this kind even allow you to
"clone" the voice of any human being simply by uploading a short
audio for the robot to reproduce any text with the person's voice.
For example, Vall-E, Microsoft's artificial intelligence, can
imitate someone's speech from the audio of just three seconds.
The tool was fed more than 60,000 hours of human speech and
could turn text into voices, simulating speech patterns and preserving the
ambient sounds of the original audio. Despite being based on concise samples,
the results are convincing.
LOVO is another text-to-speech platform that delivers a
natural result without sounding like a machine-generated one.
This AI infuses text with emotions, enabling users to modify
audio by adjusting speed, pauses, and emphasizing speech elements.
Though LOVO features 200+ human-like voices, users can
further personalize content through voice cloning. Unlike Vall-E, LOVO mandates
reading a designated script for 15 minutes to facilitate the
"cloning" process.
What are the possible uses of AI voice cloning?
With the popularization of voice synthesis artificial intelligence, it is inevitable to think of the numerous possibilities these resources can bring to everyday life.The first concerns accessibility: people who have lost their
ability to speak will be able to use AI to communicate, transforming a written
text into their voice.
Similarly, those with visual impairments can use this tool to
listen to texts dictated by personalized and real voices.
This technology could also be used to "talk" to
dead relatives. With a small sample of the person's speech, it is possible to
reproduce dialogues from texts and thus eternalize that part of the loved one.
Similarly, it will also be possible to "revive"
artists. Some examples of artificial intelligence are already being used to
"resurrect" artists online.
In this same vein, it is already easy to find practical
examples of using the voice cloning feature spread across social networks.
For example, singer Rihanna covered Beyoncé's song "Cut
it Off," and Ariana Grande sang "Envolver" by Anitta.
However, these cases trigger debates about song copyrights
and employing a public figure's voice. With no distinct laws, ongoing
controversies persist. Experts are expected to regulate this process soon.
Moreover, a contentious application of AI voice cloning is
dubbing movies in diverse languages using the actor's original performance or
crafting animations with entirely electronic voices.
This alluring option for global studios raises concerns among
professional voice actors, leaving the audiovisual industry needing more
clarity about the technology's effects.
What are the risks of voice cloning AI?
AI capable of performing speech synthesis can benefit
humanity, but this technology also presents certain risks that we must highlight.
Firstly, this tool can disseminate disinformation, enabling
public figures, such as politicians or scientists, to "reproduce"
fake news and other alarmist speeches.
In addition, this technology is already serving criminals to
apply scams. The familiar "fake kidnapping scam" has been given a
more realistic twist by voice-cloning artificial intelligence.
Criminals no longer require mimicking the victim's voice;
reproducing AI-generated speech suffices, emulating emotions during stress.
Criminals can gather vocal samples from social media,
YouTube, or WhatsApp.
How to detect voice cloning?
As speech synthesis systems become more lifelike, discerning
if a voice stems from AI or a person poses escalating difficulties.
However, there are still a few ways to recognize AI-generated
speech. The first is by trying to pick up on gaps in the speech.
Humans, in general, often make some "mistakes"
while speaking, whether they are minor "stutters,” a lack of fluency, or
irregular pauses. These marks of orality, however, are not usually present in
the speeches of AI.
Although these tools can emulate emotions, they must be more
faithful to real people. After all, humans are complex beings who can feel a
range of emotions simultaneously.
Therefore, it is worth trying to identify changes in tone
during speech. If it remains very constant, it is possible that a machine
generated it.
Furthermore, as technologies advance, the need to develop
tools identifying whether AI generates content becomes crucial.
Just as platforms differentiate ChatGPT or Bard texts,
specific tools distinguish AI-cloned voice speeches like AI Voice Detector.
To do this, upload an audio file to AI Voice Detector's
website. In a short time, the tool will tell you if that voice is natural or
created by artificial intelligence.
Stay tuned for more updates on AI clone voice from text to emotion.