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I’m a big fan of parrots – I think they’re fascinating creatures. Many of them live for longer than us humans and it’s interesting to me the way they learn to mimic human voices even though they don’t really comprehend what they’re saying.

Derren Brown

OpenAI announced a new artificial intelligence capability this week. 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.” They call it, Voice Engine.

However, any AI user must wonder how this can be a good thing?

The risks for potential bad actors to abuse this voice cloning technology seem to be extremely high.

OpenAI tried to support the strategy with some suggestions of its value for users with speech impairments and for translators to provide language translation in your own voice.

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 serious problem today in facial replacement. By adding an authentic voice to the fake faces, the wrongdoing seems unlimited for Deep Fakes.

With this in mind, Voice Engine is not 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 especially top of mind in an election year.” The company says its incorporating feedback from “US and international partners from across government, media, entertainment, education, civil society and beyond” to ensure the product launches with a minimal amount of risk. All preview testers agreed to OpenAI’s usage policies, which ban the impersonation of another individual without consent or legal right.

Additionally, anybody using the tech will have to disclose to their audience that the voices are AI-generated. OpenAI implemented safety measures, like watermarking to trace the origin of any audio and “proactive monitoring” of how the system is being used. When the product officially rolls out there will be a “no-go voice list” that detects and prevents AI-generated speakers that are too similar to prominent figures.

Source: Bonk, L., (March 30, 2024). OpenAI says it can clone a voice from just 15 seconds of audio. Engadget. Retrieved from, https://www.engadget.com/openai-says-it-can-clone-a-voice-from-just-15-seconds-of-audio-190356431.html?src=rss

About the Author:

Michael Martin is the Vice President of Technology with Metercor Inc., a Smart Meter, IoT, and Smart City systems integrator based in Canada. He has more than 40 years of experience in systems design for applications that use broadband networks, optical fibre, wireless, and digital communications technologies. He is a business and technology consultant. He was a senior executive consultant for 15 years with IBM, where he worked in the GBS Global Center of Competency for Energy and Utilities and the GTS Global Center of Excellence for Energy and Utilities. He is a founding partner and President of MICAN Communications and before that was President of Comlink Systems Limited and Ensat Broadcast Services, Inc., both divisions of Cygnal Technologies Corporation (CYN: TSX). Martin served on the Board of Directors for TeraGo Inc (TGO: TSX) and on the Board of Directors for Avante Logixx Inc. (XX: TSX.V).  He has served as a Member, SCC ISO-IEC JTC 1/SC-41 – Internet of Things and related technologies, ISO – International Organization for Standardization, and as a member of the NIST SP 500-325 Fog Computing Conceptual Model, National Institute of Standards and Technology. He served on the Board of Governors of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) [now OntarioTech University] and on the Board of Advisers of five different Colleges in Ontario.  For 16 years he served on the Board of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), Toronto Section.  He holds three master’s degrees, in business (MBA), communication (MA), and education (MEd). As well, he has three undergraduate diplomas and five certifications in business, computer programming, internetworking, project management, media, photography, and communication technology. He has completed over 30 next generation MOOC continuous education in IoT, Cloud, AI and Cognitive systems, Blockchain, Agile, Big Data, Design Thinking, Security, Indigenous Canada awareness, and more.