Recently, Amazon announced that it will begin inviting a small number of Audible audiobook narrators to participate in a new test project aimed at rapidly producing audiobooks using AI technology.
This feature will undergo beta testing in the United States and will later be expanded to include rights holders such as authors, agents, and publishers. It is believed that this new technology will bring more books to life.
In this test, narrators will be required to submit their voice recordings to train an AI "voice clone".
This means that narrators can not only participate in the recording of audiobooks but also decide which projects they want to be involved in, whether it be live performances or AI-generated recordings. The process is relatively simple, and narrators can use the production tools provided by Amazon to adjust the pronunciation and rhythm of their AI voices. Additionally, narrators can review the final product to ensure there are no errors.
Regarding compensation, Amazon stated that participants will be paid through a "royalty sharing" model, with specific earnings to be further clarified. It is worth noting that narrators' voice clones will not be used by Amazon for any content without their approval.
Furthermore, this feature is currently free, although it may incur charges in the future. It is important to note that any audiobook recorded using an AI voice clone will be marked on the product detail page to help users identify it.
Additionally, Amazon's similar feature launched last year, which allows authors of Kindle Direct Publishing to convert their books into audiobooks using fully synthetic voices, has reportedly been used in 40,000 audiobooks. This has raised concerns among some narrators who believe that AI technology may reduce job opportunities for human performers.
Amazon's move is intended to provide narrators with more creative opportunities and also hopes to further develop the audiobook market.
Key Points:
📚 Amazon introduces AI clone narrator feature to accelerate audiobook production.
🎤 Narrators will submit recordings to train AI clones and can control which projects they participate in.
💰 Participants will be compensated through "royalty sharing," and the use of AI clones requires narrator consent.