The “Magic” of Gen AI Audio?

This post is about my discoveries in generative AI audio.

I had been experimenting with Gen AI video for a while, and this time I wanted to delve deeper into the audio component of generative AI.

I've created a short film that parodies 1950s travel ads, with a... twist. It's a fun little piece, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, but I mainly want to discuss my discoveries in the AI audio space.

It's come a long way, baby.

Within the last year, audio has made huge strides, and it's quite impressive—and honestly, a little scary.

 I utilized Eleven Labs to create a British-themed voiceover. The results were, frankly, astonishing. The voice sounded authentic, polished, and full of character. But as I marveled at the outcome, I couldn’t help but think about the implications for the voice-over industry. With such powerful tools at our disposal, what does this mean for the many talented voice artists who have spent years honing their craft?

For the musical component, I used Udio to generate a 1950s-style schmaltzy advertisement score. After several iterations and some careful prompt engineering, the result was strikingly authentic. It perfectly captured the era's nostalgic tone, but there was something slightly off—a touch of the uncanny valley that made me pause.

As a musician myself, this raised serious concerns. Music is deeply human, an art form that carries emotion and soul. But when an AI can replicate the style and feel of a piece of music so convincingly, it begs the question: What is the future of human musicianship in an age where machines can do so much? 

While this project required a significant amount of curation and creative input from me, the ethical questions around using Generative AI in creative work are complex and pressing. AI-generated content blurs the lines between human and machine creation, raising issues about authenticity, originality, and the potential displacement of human talent.

Is it ethical to use AI to replace voice-over artists or musicians, especially when it’s done so convincingly? What responsibilities do we, as creators, have when deploying these technologies? How do we ensure that the use of AI in creative work is fair, transparent, and respectful of the human artists whose livelihoods might be affected?

These are thorny issues with no easy answers, but they are questions that we must confront as we continue to explore the possibilities of Generative AI.

Of course, this video took lots of curation to have it turn out the way it did. It took a creative human (me), but what are the ethical implications of using generative AI for voiceover and music creation? It's a thorny issue. What do you think?

Link to the 1950’s travel ad parody below. 

Posted: 2024-08-30