🔊 Voice Cloning: Scaling Podcasts, AI-Generated Music, Becoming Immortal

In this Trends.vc Report, we talk about building an audio content machine, digital twins, scaling podcasts with voice cloning and more.

💎 Why It Matters

Voice cloning lets you create audio at scale.

🔍 Problem

Your ability to create content is limited by time, energy and physical conditions.

You need to eat, sleep and rest. You’re mortal.

💡 Solution

Voice cloning helps you build an audio content machine that works anytime, anywhere.

Even once you’re gone.

🏁 Players

Voice Cloning Tools

• ElevenLabs • Realistic voice cloning for creators and publishers
• Descript • Realistic voice cloning
• Deepsync • Clone your voice and vocal nuance
• Respeecher • Voice cloning for filmmakers, game developers and other content creators.
• Resemble AI • Create dynamic and unique voice content

Voice Cloning Use Cases

• Audiobook Narration • Use your voice or the voice of your favorite actor to narrate an audiobook. DeepZen narrated an audiobook using the voice of Edward Herrmann
• Podcasts • Record new episodes anytime, anywhere. Seth Godin used AI to narrate this episode of Akimbo podcast
• YouTube Channels • Narrate video scripts or build faceless YouTube channels. Shan Ruthra shares how you can use your cloned voice to make voice-overs for YouTube videos
• Localization • Reach a wider audience by speaking more languages. ActionPark Media used multilingual Veritone Voice Network to expand Victory the Podcast into new markets.
• Films • One voice actor can dub many films at once. Flawless dubbed the Fall movie into Japanese and Spanish

🔮 Predictions

• Voice cloning will be used to replicate the voices of deceased actors and musicians. We’ll see their posthumous performances in movies, music, TV shows and more.

• DeepZen used old recordings to bring Edward Herrmann’s voice to life.
• Morgan Neville used AI to create the voice of Anthony Bourdain for Roadrunner.
• Resemble AI and Netflix will use Andy Warhol’s voice for The Andy Warhol Diaries.
• Session 42 “revived” singers Ofra Haza and Zohar Argov to celebrate Israel’s 75th Anniversary.

• People will clone artists’ voices to make new songs.

• Best AI Songs made Pressure by Travis Scott with AI.
• Hot AI Music shared an AI-generated album by Drake.
• Fireship made a song by Ye (Kanye West) about his YouTube channel.

• We’ll see digital twins. Instead of voices, entire people will be cloned.

• Rephrase AI builds custom avatars.
• Hour One builds virtual twins with cloned voices.
• Colossyan builds avatars that look and sound like you.

☁️ Opportunities

• Scale your podcast with voice cloning. Save time recording and editing episodes by using your cloned voice.

• Seth Godin used AI to narrate this episode of Akimbo podcast.
• Rob Walling used voice cloning for the intro to Episode 649 of Startups for the Rest of Us podcast.
• Play.ht runs Podcast.ai with AI-generated episodes such as Joe Rogan Podcast with Steve Jobs.

• Turn your written content into audio content. Narrate a book, blog post or newsletter without spending time doing it yourself.

• audiostory.ai turns articles into podcast episodes.
• Chris Wrobel narrated Inside the Mind of My Digital Clone using his cloned voice.
• George Saoulidis is a book author who might use voice cloning to narrate his books.
• Cherie Hu made an audio version of the Music AI Deepfakes issue of Water and Music newsletter.

• Use your digital twin for course lessons, explainer videos, personalized messages and more. This lets you scale your presence without recording yourself each time.

• MattVidPro cloned himself.
• Ran.de built a 3D newsroom with virtual hosts.
• Berlitz made 8 virtual teachers for their language courses.
• DeFiance Media made a 24/7 newscaster of decentralized culture, finance, and tech news.
• Mondelēz International made an avatar of Shah Rukh Khan for ads and personalized videos.
• Raymond Realty cloned its director Gautam Singhania to send personalized videos to prospects.

🏔️ Risks

• Impersonality • AI voice lacks a human touch. Drew Carey used AI to produce a Friday Night Freakout episode. Fans weren’t pleased.
• Scam • Scammers can use voice spoofing to fake a kidnapping, get system access, money and more. They only need a 3-second audio clip of your voice.

🔑 Key Lessons

• Voice cloning helps you create audio content at scale. You can turn books, scripts and articles into audiobooks, podcasts and videos. All at once.
• You can reach new audiences. Some people prefer to listen than to read. Others prefer to listen in their first language.

🔥 Hot Takes

• We’ll be able to choose our favorite speakers as audiobook narrators.
• Family members and friends will become “immortal”. We’ll train AI on text messages, emails and conversations with them. Then use voice cloning to preserve their voices. HereAfter AI and MindBank let people chat with the virtual you.

😠 Haters

“How can I prevent my voice from being cloned? This tech lets anybody use it without my consent.”
Don’t ever speak in public. A better solution is to add safeguards to voice cloning tools such as live reading. Podcastle asks to record 70 short sentences directly in the app. Only account owners can do that.

“Voice cloning will make voice-over jobs less relevant.”
True. AI can narrate content faster and cheaper than professional voice actors.

“Modern tools such as Adobe Podcast make it easier to record audio without the right setup.”
You still need a decent setup for them to work properly. They won’t help if you record yourself on the construction site.

“It’s illegal to clone artists’ voices to make music.”
Copyright laws are tricky. Some say that an artist’s voice, style or flow is not protected by copyright. Courts say that using a widely known voice to boost sales of a product is a tort. Time will tell what position regulators will take.

“Why would I pay for a cloned voice if I can clone it myself?”
You need permission to use them commercially. Corporations are good at striking copyrighted content. Dae Lims made songs with the voices of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They were taken down by Universal Music Group.

🔗 Links

1. Best AI Voice Generator • Tutorial on how to clone a voice with ElevenLabs.
2. Voice Cloning Guide • Official voice cloning guide by ElevenLabs.
3. Create a Magical Audiobook Experience • How to create an audiobook with AI voices.

📁 Related Reports

• The Creator Economy • Voice cloning helps to create audio content at scale
• Million-Dollar, One-Person Businesses • Your voice is a form of leverage
• Personal Brands • Your voice is part of your identity
• AI-Generated Content • Voice cloning is the next big thing in generative AI
• Podcast Memberships • You can make episodes without the right setup or vocal health

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