What are AI voiceovers, and how do they work?
Learn what AI voiceovers are, the legal restrictions, and how to create them with Epidemic Sound.
AI voiceovers are more popular and sophisticated than ever, but how do they actually work? We’ll dive into the essentials today, and show you how to generate the best-quality, legally watertight AI voiceovers with Epidemic Sound.
We’ll cover:
- What is an AI voiceover?
- Why do people use AI voiceovers?
- Are there any downsides to AI voiceovers?
- Are AI voiceovers legal?
- Go beyond traditional text-to-speech AI voiceover tools with Epidemic Sound
- Can you make an AI voiceover with your own voice?
What is an AI voiceover?
AI voiceovers are built on machine learning algorithms. These are complex, proprietary procedures that convert text to speech — type something into the text field, and it’ll come out as a voiceover.
The more basic versions can be found in viral TikTok voiceovers, where you’ll often hear the “Siri voice” instead of a genuine human. These are robotic, often lacking emotion, and clearly meant to sound artificial.
But as the technology advances, there are exciting new ways to build AI voiceovers — this isn’t the Google Translate you remember from 2009. In some cases, real voice actors are hired with the sole purpose of creating lifelike AI voiceover templates, replicating the tone, pitch, and cadence of real speech.
To bring the latest AI voiceover technology to life, Epidemic Sound has collaborated with a diverse roster of professional voice artists. Their voices serve as the foundation for our Voices tool, each selected for their unique vocal qualities.
Learn how Epidemic Sound works with professional voice artists to ensure an ethical, legally balanced collaboration. It’s a similar agreement to the contracts we sign with our roster of musicians, whose work has taken our products and services to the next level.
Interested? Explore more than 50,000 tracks, 200,000 unique sound effects and variations, and elite-tier voiceovers with Epidemic Sound — we’re sure you’ll find the perfect match for your next project.
Why do people use AI voiceovers?
AI voiceovers and AI-generated voiceovers are becoming the go-to solution for everyone from solo content creators to established businesses.
Why? Because they get the job done, and they make great voiceovers more accessible. Human voiceover talent can be cost-prohibitive for everyday creators, but with AI, creators don’t have to compromise on quality or authenticity. AI voiceovers are significantly more affordable, quicker to produce, and often come with a wide range of accents and inflections to fit any project.
Are there any downsides to AI voiceovers?
AI voiceovers might seem exciting, but there are a few downsides. For one, AI-generated voiceover content potentially takes work away from talented voice actors.
On top of that, AI voiceovers aren’t, well, human. AI-generated voiceovers may also lack the nuance of an organic version read by a professional — and that’s before you even approach topics like multiple languages.
Are AI voiceovers legal?
Even if an AI voiceover service offers the tastiest-looking tools, always double-check the usage restrictions and licensing details. AI technology is a fast-moving sector, and a vague usage agreement could come back to bite you later down the line.
While there aren’t widespread bans, it’s important to be mindful of potential requirements or restrictions depending on the use case and distribution channel. Some platforms may impose their own rules, such as requiring clear disclosure of AI-generated content. As a result, even if you’ve been granted to use an AI-generated voiceover as a licensed work, certain platforms may still limit how you exercise these rights.
For this reason, it would be wise to consult a legal professional before creating content with any AI voiceover generator or tool. Or, you could use Epidemic Sound.
Go beyond traditional text-to-speech AI voiceover tools with Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound works with some of the world’s freshest, most talented musicians — why not take the same approach with voiceovers? Try our new AI voiceover tool: Voices.
Unlike traditional text-to-speech tools, our approach is built on a foundation of 20 professional voice artists. Their hard work ensures that every take is expressive, nuanced, and emotionally engaging.
Voices allows instant creation and customization of voiceovers, giving you full control over language and speed, while maintaining the authenticity of a human voice. Head over here for a step-by-step guide.
You can use our AI-powered voiceovers for advertisements, social media content, video productions, audio projects, and more. Export them to your projects manually, or access Voices directly in your video editor with our plugins for Adobe and DaVinci Resolve Studio. Just like Epidemic Sound’s music and sound effects.
As long as your usage complies with your agreement with Epidemic Sound and the Voices Addendum, you’re free to weave the voiceovers into your projects and distribute them across permitted media channels.
Can you make an AI voiceover with your own voice?
As part of Voices, you can upload your own voice recording to create a digital version of your voice — it sounds just like you and can be customized. You can also use someone else’s voice, provided you have their explicit permission and can verify their identity. For example, this could be for client work or collaborative projects. There’s no third-party use of your voices, and you can request deletion through your account at any time.
It’s more than voice cloning — we’re giving creators the power to put themselves at the heart of the voiceover. Whether you’d like to use one of our 20 world-class voice actors or record with your own voice, you can try it all with Epidemic Sound.
Sign up today, and start soundtracking your content, your way.
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