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Podcasters Listeners Don’t Love Cloned Voices
Double talk // Illustration by Kate Walker
The podcast industry is wrestling with how the new ability to clone voices could reshape the format — for better or worse.
The Big Bet: For most shows, the host’s voice is the asset — it’s what the audience tunes in for. And therein lies the tension with AI-generated voices: they could let that voice reach an unprecedented number of listeners while also risking the devaluation of the very thing people come to hear.
Behind The Mic: At this point, the question may not be whether AI is used for voice cloning, but how.
Some podcasters, like The Diary of a CEO’s Steven Bartlett, are using the tech to launch companion shows that are entirely voice-cloned.
Others feel that’s a step too far and could alienate audiences — but they are using it for things like voice tweaks when they can’t make it to the studio or to translate their voices into different languages.
And voice cloning could revolutionize the bitterest pill of all for hosts — on-air ad reads. Their AI doubles can now take that task off their plate.
It can also be used to create alternative versions of an ad to target different markets — theoretically multiplying revenue without increasing recording time.
The Future: Several platforms are making voice cloning possible — including ElevenLabs, Speechify, Respeecher, and Resemble AI. Spotify and iHeartMedia are also testing AI-powered translations with select creators like Bill Simmons and Malcolm Gladwell. Maya Prohovnik, Spotify’s head of podcast product, told The NYT that “it’s just a tool to scale yourself. It’s not replacing you.”
Time will tell if audiences feel the same way.
Next Episode: Considering that voice-cloned shows need to be fully scripted before recording, expect podcast writers to become the next hot commodity in the industry.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.