Wanted to imitate a celebrity? Or prank friends by posing as, say, Morgan Freeman, at a vehicle dealership? Voice cloning: a technological marvel. Or perhaps a mischief. So grand, we’ve even started talking to our gadgets. Voice cloning’s nature is to mimic human speech. You could compare the process of cloning someone’s speech to that of creating a voice cloning, an audio phantom. You may imagine complex algorithms. That’s not too far off. But don’t worry yet about the technical jargon.
It’s no secret that voice cloning causes some head-scratching and eyebrow-raising concerns. The upside is? It’s magical, and it unleashes a flood of creativity in the voiceover field. The voice cloning technology could save the day if, for example, a vocalist got a nasty frog in his throat. It would allow projects to continue without any problems. In the opposite case, you’d have been better off giving Nemo his own megaphone. It’s true, many people are concerned with impersonation. The concept of cloning may open the door to new applications, but can also create privacy issues that are hard to overcome.
Jenny, my friend is obsessed with technology. Two months back she surprised her husband’s birthday using a voice cloning application. She created the message as her favorite action figure. It was the best present ever, he said. Jenny’s tale was a chuckle-worthy arc. Her husband stopped chewing his pasta mid-bite because he was moved. Imagine the possibilities. Weddings, podcasts and bedtime tales where you can hear familiar voice bringing stories to life.
Voice cloning may provide a sense continuity for people who are differently abled, or have lost their voices. Synthetic voices, which are crafted using snippets of the original voice, can maintain personal identity despite a digital transformation. This is the crux. While creating digital versions of ourselves may be uplifting, regulatory caution tapes are a puzzle-piece that has yet to find its correct place.
Critics disagree about the ethical quagmire cloning of voices may drag us into. Is the future a sci fi utopia? Or a Pandora’s Box just waiting to explode in chaos and confusion? Creating AI generated voices does bring innovation. To walk a tightrope while simultaneously revolutionizing industries without trampling the trust of consumers is no easy feat. Crafting legislation to support this innovation will require careful deliberation and setting of necessary boundaries.
It is fascinating to see how tech giants rush the clock by investing resources in refining this new technology. There’s a kind of digital gold rush that is similar to claiming territory in new areas. As one side preaches innovation and the opposite caution, we are in the middle of an old-fashioned tug-of-war. It is not impossible to use a voice double for learning new languages, or perhaps even training voice assistants so that they can enhance interaction. It’s true that every rose has thorns. And this one is no exception.
One thing is for certain, regardless of whether you’re a sceptical or enthusiastic early user: voice cloning changes narratives. Who knows. It may lead in a few short years to intelligent digital conversations. It’s a curious blend of wonder, skepticism and cautiousness that makes us imagine what we might be able to do while still being careful. To stay on top of these innovations, it’s best to be informed, interested, and a little curious.