By Mashum Mollah
Do you think that you could tell the difference between a Real Human Voice Or Synthetic Text-To-Speech? With the advancing technology that has been in the media recently, you might be forgiven for thinking that human voices have been well and truly replaced. However, according to professional voice over agencies, their human voice actors are still very much alive and kicking.
What AI Voices Can Do
There is no doubt that AI voice technology has come a long way in the last decade.
We are all used to SIRI and Alexa now, and most of us would say we can strongly tell that those are AI voices. The latest technology though does make it a little harder to tell the difference.
Google released AI Tacotron which really gave those trying to tell the difference a run for their money. Most hailed though is the Lyrebird AI. It is a well known deep fake technology that claims to mimic any person’s voice in just one minute. It’s been so successful that there are moral conversations about the ethics of allowing a product like this to be used in public.
The catch though is that it still hasn’t quite replicated the human voice in full. It’s definitely the most sophisticated AI voice system, but it still lacks the natural tone needed to be totally convincing. The top Text To-Speech tech is also a long way behind, with the pace and natural pauses expected with a human voice actor missing from even the best systems.
What AI Voices Still Can’t Do
As it stands AI voices still cannot replicate a human voice, as we mentioned above. That is because a human voice has gentle qualities that humans pick up on, and recognize as human. Pace, tone, and pronunciation are very specific with human voices and we know that when we hear any voice-over.
The reason that is important if you plan to use text-to-speech for a project is that humans still very much prefer human voices. Sure, text-to-speech might be kind of convincing and much cheaper for a project, but the result could well turn your target audience off. This is especially true when the voice being used is specifically included to deliver a message. AI might describe a product, fact, or story, but a voice actor brings your message to life. A voice actor performs your script, drives the message home, and helps your audience to connect to your brand.
How To Choose Between Real Human Voice Or Synthetic Text-To-Speech In Your Next Project
If you are unsure whether to use Text-To-Speech or human voices in your next project, start by listening to samples of both. They are easily found online and you can make your own mind up about whether or not you can tell the difference. The chances are you will see a distinct difference between a synthesized and real voice. The question is, what do you want for your project? Do you want a good, but unconvincing AI voice or a professional voice over that projects your message to your audience to truly drive your message home?
The right voiceover can make or break any project, so it’s important to make the right choice when it comes to your business and its brand goals.
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