After previously launching its artificial intelligence DJ, music streaming platform Spotify has now delved into AI voice translation. Spotify wants to translate podcasts recorded in English into different languages using the podcasters’ original voice.
The streaming giant says that with the recent advances in AI, it has been looking for more ways to bridge the language gap so that these voices can be heard worldwide. Spotify’s new tool is one of the first applications of OpenAI‘s latest voice generation technology.
“This Spotify-developed tool leverages the latest innovations – one of which is OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology – to match the original speaker’s style, making for a more authentic listening experience that sounds more personal and natural than traditional dubbing,” Spotify wrote in a post.
Building deeper connections
Spotify’s VP of personalisation Ziad Sultan said, “By matching the creator’s own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before. We believe that a thoughtful approach to AI can help build deeper connections between listeners and creators, a key component of Spotify’s mission to unlock the potential of human creativity.”
The company has worked with some popular podcasters including Dax Shepard, Monica Padman, Lex Fridman, Bill Simmons and Steven Bartlett, “To generate AI-powered voice translations in other languages – including Spanish, French, and German – for a select number of catalog episodes and future episode releases.”
Spotify also looks forward to translating more shows in future such as Dax Shepard’s eff won with DRS, The Rewatchables from The Ringer, and Trevor Noah’s new podcast, which is scheduled to launch later this year.
While the feature is yet to expand to all podcasters, Spotify says that users don’t need a premium membership to use the new feature which can be accessed from Spotify’s Voice Translations page. Select episodes will also be released in French and German in the next few weeks.
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
