Ars Technica
A voice synthesis firm based mostly in Dubai revealed a fictional podcast interview between Joe Rogan and Steve Jobs utilizing lifelike voices digitally cloned from each males. It takes place through the “first episode” of a purported podcast collection known as “Podcast.ai,” created by Play.ht, which sells voice synthesis providers.
Within the interview, you first hear a replication of Rogan’s voice created by voice cloning expertise just like that which we have lined earlier than on Ars. Deep studying expertise has allowed AI fashions to duplicate distinctive voices with a excessive diploma of accuracy, equivalent to within the case of Darth Vader in Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi TV collection.
To realize the impact, somebody should first practice the AI mannequin on current samples of the voice that might be cloned. Rogan is a first-rate goal for AI voice coaching by deep studying fashions as a result of ample portions of his remoted voice exist on his podcasts. Actually, The Verge lined a PR stunt by an AI firm known as Dessa synthesizing Rogan in 2019.
The place this occasion of AI tomfoolery turns into extra attention-grabbing is that Play.ht moreover roped within the voice of deceased Apple CEO Steve Jobs. His voice, whereas robotically uneven at occasions, remembers his Apple keynotes and All Issues Digital interviews from the late 2000s. And Play.ht claims that the textual content of the interview was generated by AI as effectively, probably from a big language mannequin (LLM) just like GPT-3.
“Transcripts are generated with fine-tuned language fashions,” writes Play.ht on the Podcast.ai web site. “For instance, the Steve Jobs episode was skilled on his biography and all recordings of him we may discover on-line so the AI may precisely carry him again to life.”
In line with its LLM roots, the 19-minute interview would not make a lot sense. After some time, elements of the fictional interview start to sound like conceptual mashups of frequent Jobs speaking factors, together with aesthetics, revolutionary merchandise, rivals equivalent to Google, Microsoft, and Adobe, and the triumphs of the unique Macintosh.
For instance, throughout a piece of the interview, faux Jobs delves into criticism of Microsoft that could be very comparable the what the true Jobs mentioned in a well-known 1995 interview for Triumph of the Nerds, nevertheless it’s not a carbon copy—and you’ll inform the voice is synthesized for those who examine the 2. “That is the issue I’ve all the time had with Microsoft,” faux Jobs says. “In some ways they’re sensible folks and so they’ve achieved good work, however they’ve by no means had any style. They’ve by no means had any aesthetic sense.”
Whether or not it is authorized to make use of Jobs’ or Rogan’s vocal likenesses on this method—notably to advertise a business product—stays to be seen. And regardless of the PR-stunt nature of the podcast, the idea of solely fictional celeb podcasts acquired our consideration. As voice synthesis turns into extra widespread and doubtlessly undetectable, we’re taking a look at a future the place media artifacts from any period will doubtless be utterly fluid and malleable, shapeable to suit any narrative. On this specific fictional world, Jobs is a large Rogan fan.
“It is good to sit down again within the automotive and hearken to you rant,” he says.
