OpenAI just announced that it recently conducted a small-scale preview of a new tool called Voice Engine. This is a voice cloning technology that can mimic any speaker by analyzing a 15-second audio sample. The company says it generates “natural-sounding speech” with “emotive and realistic voices.” The technology is based on the company’s pre-existing text-to-speech API and it has been in the works since 2022. OpenAI has already been using a version of the toolset to power the preset voices available in the current text-to-speech API and the Read Aloud feature. There are a bunch of samples on the company’s official blog and they sound eerily close to the real thing. I encourage you to give them a listen and imagine the possibilities, both good and bad. OpenAI says they see this technology being useful for reading assistance, language translation and helping those who suffer from sudden or degenerative speech conditions. The company brought up a Brown University pilot program that helped a patient with speech impairment issues by creating a Voice Engine clone pulled from audio recorded for a school project. Despite the potential benefits, bad actors would certainly abuse this technology to engage in some serious deepfake tomfoolery, which is already a problem. With this in mind, Voice Engine isn’t quite ready for prime time, as there are serious privacy concerns that must be met before a full rollout. OpenAI acknowledges that this tech has “serious risks, which are... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-03-29 19:03:56 UTC ]
Here are some recommendations of audiobooks of poetry—in contemporary poetry, classic poetry, and novels in verse—for the Read Harder 2020 task. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-12-13 11:33:24 UTC ]
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Audible has scooped an original audiobook from Love Factually (Bloomsbury Sigma) author Laura Mucha on attachment theory, following a group of people over the course of a year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-12 08:00:49 UTC ]
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In the last of three pieces on the audiobook sector in the run-up to FutureBook Live, W F Howes’ Dominic White looks at the future of the format Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-12 00:45:39 UTC ]
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World Book Night will expand its audiobook offering in 2020, after a successful pilot with John Green’s Turtles All the Way Down in 2019. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-10 07:35:35 UTC ]
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In this installment of our audio IRL, senior editor Andrew Tarantola's affinity for anime leads him to an unlikely musical discovery. Senior editor Jessica Conditt is addicted to true crime podcasts, but her recommendation is an audiobook with podcas... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2019-12-03 14:30:00 UTC ]
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In UK audiobook statistics, Harris Interactive sees younger, higher salaried men leading listeners. Orion's Katie Espiner talks about women in publishing. The post More From FutureBook Live: Harris on Audio, Espiner on Management appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-11-26 09:30:58 UTC ]
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Publishers are missing out on audiobook listeners who want sci-fi and romance titles, statistics on sales show. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-25 14:46:44 UTC ]
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For book lovers, Small Business Saturday means a trip to the local independent bookstore, many of which invite local authors to hang out and make recommendations. If you’re an audiobook lover you can still support small businesses, and I don’t mean purchasing your audiobooks on compact disc. Ask... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-25 09:48:59 UTC ]
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Contemporary recordings breathe new life into such books as “To the Lighthouse,” “Jane Eyre” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-11-22 17:06:26 UTC ]
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Audiobook sales have rocketed in 2019, and look set to achieve another record year, as the sector continues to attract first-time listeners. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-15 08:43:01 UTC ]
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William Seymour has won The Future AudioBook Originals competition with his short story "Interviewing". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-12 17:32:18 UTC ]
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The audiobook of Garrett M. Graff’s “The Only Plane in the Sky” offers vivid memories of people who were present at the 9/11 tragedy. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-11-12 10:00:05 UTC ]
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From the hugely popular to the lesser known, these are the best Audible books of 2019 that will make perfect audiobook gifts for anyone on your list. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-11-04 11:37:38 UTC ]
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Valérie Lévy-Soussan, founder of Audiolib, has tracked France’s audiobook market from CDs in the early 2000s to streaming and download formats. The post From Frankfurt’s First Audio Summit: Valérie Lévy-Soussan of France’s Audiolib appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-10-31 05:30:42 UTC ]
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Rowman & Littlefield Audio plans to release 35 audio titles this year and 50 in 2020 in subject areas that include history, self-help, business, and pop culture. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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If you listen to audiobooks on Libby, then you need these Libby audiobook hacks in your life. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-10-25 10:41:56 UTC ]
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A W F Howes audiobook of self-published star LJ Ross’s new Dr Alexander Gregory thriller Impostor will be narrated by “Hannibal” actor Hugh Dancy. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-22 03:57:05 UTC ]
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There are a lot of tips around on how to get physical review copies. But how about audiobooks? Below are some ways to get those audiobook ARCs. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-10-21 10:39:48 UTC ]
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Author Nnedi Okorafor is known for her award-winning Afrofuturist works, stories rooted in African culture and perspective that explore beyond the realm of what is currently possible. Okorafor’s writing examines the intersection of technology, the natural world, and magic, building a world in... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-10-17 08:47:48 UTC ]
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In her new audiobook “Self-Tanner for the Soul,” the quasi-reformed party girl tells listeners that you can, in fact, run away from your problems. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-10-16 16:00:15 UTC ]
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