Amazon previews Alexa capability that synthesizes a person’s voice from less than a minute of audio – GeekWire

LAS VEGAS — A quick video clip of a kid inquiring Alexa to have his grandma read the Wizard of Oz is making additional than its share of excitement following Amazon spelled out that the voice was truly a simulation.

To make it materialize, Amazon “had to learn to deliver a substantial-good quality voice with fewer than a moment of recording compared to hrs of recording in a studio,” reported Rohit Prasad, Alexa AI senior vice president and head scientist, through a keynote deal with Wednesday early morning at the company’s re:MARS meeting in Las Vegas.

Amazon is not declaring when the capability could be launched as an Alexa function, or what forms of precautions could accompany a rollout. AI-created synthesized voices have elevated concerns about the opportunity for abuse, perhaps currently being misused to trick people into thinking some others experienced reported a little something they hadn’t.

A set of “Responsible AI” principles unveiled this 7 days by Microsoft outlines a series of safeguards against potential misuse of synthetic voices.

Prasad hinted at the fundamental specialized tactic utilised by Amazon for the functionality, stating that the key was “framing the trouble as a voice-conversion job, and not a speech-generation activity.”

Introducing the demo, he described the technological innovation as a way to maintain the memories of cherished types, declaring it’s portion of a growing recognition of the purpose that Alexa can serve as a companion.

“In this companionship purpose, human characteristics of empathy and have an effect on are crucial for creating have confidence in,” he claimed. “These characteristics have grow to be even much more vital in these periods of the ongoing pandemic, when so several of us have shed somebody we really like. What AI just cannot get rid of that pain of decline, it can absolutely make their memories last.”

Prasad called it “one of the new capabilities we’re doing the job on, which permits long lasting personalized interactions.”