VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #586 – AI Revisited
Voice Coaches Radio. Everything voiceover.
Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. I'm Marissa and, uh, I'm starting to get a little bit panicked and it's just because, you know, as I see the months going by, the days going by. My life going by. I, uh, I'm starting to realize what's coming. And it's less than a month away, and it's, it's my birthday.
Uh, I don't know, like, I'm not somebody who's ever been too, uh, like, upset with age. You know, because, I don't know, I've never really looked my age. You know, people still, and I realize this, which is why it's like, why is this bothering me so much? I still get confused for somebody that's, like, late 20s, maybe 30, and I am about turn 40.
Uh, and I hate even saying it out loud. Uh, you know, I just had a friend who was, uh, getting a colonoscopy, and I was texting with her, and I was like, Man, this is just making me realize what's
It's like, yeah, once you hit 40, it's like, you just get smashed, poked and prodded. And it's like, what the heck is this life now? And I didn't respond to that text because it just made me so depressed. Oh, but, you know, I look back though, and everything that I've accomplished and I feel like, you know, it's, it's a.
pretty good list of things over the last, you know, almost 20 years of having a career and even with the, the downfalls at times, it's like the way that I've, you know, kind of lifted myself back up. So I try when I'm having midlife crisis moments to not panic too much. Uh, and, you know, just, Hold on to the fact that I really don't look my age, and anytime that I say to people, Yeah, I'm gonna turn 40, uh, they're like, what?
No, you're not. Uh, it just, I'm gonna keep holding on to that for a very long time. Um, so, I wanted to talk to you guys about something today that we have hit on before, because I've gotten the question, and when I initially, Discuss this I didn't have as many concerns, you know, I looked at the topic that we're going to discuss and I I kind of like um Compared it to something else in in my past that Was was supposed to kill what I had been doing.
So, uh, it is the subject of AI Technology and AI voice technology that is starting to come into play more and more You know the few months ago when we've talked about it, you know, I compared it like Sirius XM to terrestrial radio because when that first came out people were like, ah, this is gonna kill radio Nobody wants to hear commercials blah blah blah, whatever um And, and next thing you know, I mean, yeah, there's people who have Sirius, but how much do you pay for it these days?
You know, it's like you go and have it for free for like three months, and then in order for you to stay on, they call and harass you like a million times and be like, well, I mean, what if you paid like three dollars for the year? Uh, you know, so they're really, they're losing in the end, especially for how much they're paying the talent that they have on, on all of those different channels.
They go and they, they like, rely on these huge celebrity names to draw in people, and I'm sorry, it just, I don't think it works a lot of the time. A lot of people like personal connection, that is what terrestrial radio has always been, and that's why I've had a job prominently for a very long time now, um, and will continue for, for a very long time.
Here's the thing with AI technology and how it is starting to trickle into the voice world. I, obviously, Like, I mean, I knew that it was going to have an impact, right? Just like Sirius had an impact with regular radio for a moment. And maybe it will just be momentary here because I still feel like no matter how a computer can replicate your voice and, you know, it makes it sound like you, there's still a lack of personal connection.
There is still a lack of human. Um, you know, naturalness to it, there's a lack of, in a lot of ways, like speech pattern and thought process from, from what I gather, and that is something that you can really only get from a human, unless, I don't know, there's gonna have to be a computer that is with me 24 7 for a while, I think, to truly understand how I, I operate as a human and how I speak.
Um, but I have witnessed this. start to take hold a little bit more on some voice talent. Um, you know, I have a friend who is out in Omaha, Nebraska. I worked with him back in 2006 at one of the radio stations. He's in the production department. I believe he still is, but he does a lot of voiceover work. And he heard himself on a commercial that he knows he didn't voice.
And that means that somebody bought his voice for said commercial. And, I mean, Really? I, I honestly think like this, this is a theft of you. Like this is theft. Um, you know, so there is legal action that should and I think can, you know, take place in these kind of situations. Um, you know, how did, how did somebody get his voice?
Who was it that took it? I mean, it's probably a lot of investigating that needs to happen, but this is not the only instance of this. You know, I was looking up some news stories and there's a few, uh, prominent vocal actors who, who have had this happen. You know, how will this take over the industry? I don't, I still don't see it taking over, you know, it's, it's going to be a pain in the, in the side for, you know, a minute, but.
This is how I can equate it now, right? It's like, think about going to Walmart and there's the self checkout, or there's you actually using a sales clerk to actually ring you out. You know, sure, the self checkout's convenient. But how many people are getting free groceries from Walmart right now because they ain't swiping everything?
You know, I just feel like it's not beneficial in the long run. Walmart loses out, and by how much money, because they're trying to, quote unquote, save money in the end. Um, you know, and I think that's gonna be the same case when it comes to AI. So it's like I had my initial comparison, but I think a better comparison in this moment is just that.
It's the lacking of human connection, but it's also the... The cheap out, you know, you're gonna, you're gonna get what you paid for in the end, uh, in a lot of ways. Machines screw up all the time, uh, this is why, it's like computers are great, and they, they serve some great purposes in some ways, but not all the ways.
And when it comes to that, that connection with, with people and the, uh, that human quality, a computer, no matter how much you tweak and how much you try to train it, it's still gonna have. Some some issues, uh and some bugs and it's not going to get the job done the way That it's going to need to I think in the end But I would love to hear your two cents on it because in some ways It can be helpful.
We talked about the story of James Earl Jones wanting to step down a little bit kind of like semi retire and when it comes to uh What he's semi retiring from it's really his his role that he's had for years since the 70s as darth vader um, you know and they have so much of his voice that they can just kind of like type out the bits and pieces they might need for the future and Darth Vader can still live on as James Earl Jones.
Um, you know, and that's where it's beneficial and I'm sure he has some sort of contract involved where he is getting paid. But If your voice is stolen, you're not getting paid and that's not fair, you know what I mean? So there is gonna have to be some legal stuff that gets involved and I think once the legal action starts to take place That is is when um, you know, you've got AI kind of going back to my initial comparison of, uh, of Sirius XM, uh, you know, because it's just not going to work.
Uh, you know, there's so many reasons I think that it, it does not pan out in the way that, you know, somebody might be hoping right now, but I would, I would love to hear your two cents. So info at voice coaches. com again, info at voice coaches. com. Subject that you want us to tackle on the pod, please, uh, you know, hit, hit us up and, you know, we'll, we'll go ahead and we'll make sure that we get that on again soon.
But I thought it was interesting 'cause I did have a student bring it back up again in the last couple weeks and, and it's like, you know, you know that now that I think about it, you know, it has been a minute since we talked about it and some things have changed. Um, so it is always good to revisit a topic here and there, especially, you know, if this is something that gets prominently.
Discussed or a question that keeps popping back up, um, you know because obviously You got new people tuning in each and every week and we definitely appreciate that by we I mean me But yeah, I hope that said the summer is off to a great start for you Thank you so much for tuning in info at voice coaches comm if you've got a question or subject that you would like discussed here In in the voiceover world and a brand new episode is gonna be coming your way Stay safe, everybody.
Visit voice coaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. I'm Marissa and, uh, I'm starting to get a little bit panicked and it's just because, you know, as I see the months going by, the days going by. My life going by. I, uh, I'm starting to realize what's coming. And it's less than a month away, and it's, it's my birthday.
Uh, I don't know, like, I'm not somebody who's ever been too, uh, like, upset with age. You know, because, I don't know, I've never really looked my age. You know, people still, and I realize this, which is why it's like, why is this bothering me so much? I still get confused for somebody that's, like, late 20s, maybe 30, and I am about turn 40.
Uh, and I hate even saying it out loud. Uh, you know, I just had a friend who was, uh, getting a colonoscopy, and I was texting with her, and I was like, Man, this is just making me realize what's
It's like, yeah, once you hit 40, it's like, you just get smashed, poked and prodded. And it's like, what the heck is this life now? And I didn't respond to that text because it just made me so depressed. Oh, but, you know, I look back though, and everything that I've accomplished and I feel like, you know, it's, it's a.
pretty good list of things over the last, you know, almost 20 years of having a career and even with the, the downfalls at times, it's like the way that I've, you know, kind of lifted myself back up. So I try when I'm having midlife crisis moments to not panic too much. Uh, and, you know, just, Hold on to the fact that I really don't look my age, and anytime that I say to people, Yeah, I'm gonna turn 40, uh, they're like, what?
No, you're not. Uh, it just, I'm gonna keep holding on to that for a very long time. Um, so, I wanted to talk to you guys about something today that we have hit on before, because I've gotten the question, and when I initially, Discuss this I didn't have as many concerns, you know, I looked at the topic that we're going to discuss and I I kind of like um Compared it to something else in in my past that Was was supposed to kill what I had been doing.
So, uh, it is the subject of AI Technology and AI voice technology that is starting to come into play more and more You know the few months ago when we've talked about it, you know, I compared it like Sirius XM to terrestrial radio because when that first came out people were like, ah, this is gonna kill radio Nobody wants to hear commercials blah blah blah, whatever um And, and next thing you know, I mean, yeah, there's people who have Sirius, but how much do you pay for it these days?
You know, it's like you go and have it for free for like three months, and then in order for you to stay on, they call and harass you like a million times and be like, well, I mean, what if you paid like three dollars for the year? Uh, you know, so they're really, they're losing in the end, especially for how much they're paying the talent that they have on, on all of those different channels.
They go and they, they like, rely on these huge celebrity names to draw in people, and I'm sorry, it just, I don't think it works a lot of the time. A lot of people like personal connection, that is what terrestrial radio has always been, and that's why I've had a job prominently for a very long time now, um, and will continue for, for a very long time.
Here's the thing with AI technology and how it is starting to trickle into the voice world. I, obviously, Like, I mean, I knew that it was going to have an impact, right? Just like Sirius had an impact with regular radio for a moment. And maybe it will just be momentary here because I still feel like no matter how a computer can replicate your voice and, you know, it makes it sound like you, there's still a lack of personal connection.
There is still a lack of human. Um, you know, naturalness to it, there's a lack of, in a lot of ways, like speech pattern and thought process from, from what I gather, and that is something that you can really only get from a human, unless, I don't know, there's gonna have to be a computer that is with me 24 7 for a while, I think, to truly understand how I, I operate as a human and how I speak.
Um, but I have witnessed this. start to take hold a little bit more on some voice talent. Um, you know, I have a friend who is out in Omaha, Nebraska. I worked with him back in 2006 at one of the radio stations. He's in the production department. I believe he still is, but he does a lot of voiceover work. And he heard himself on a commercial that he knows he didn't voice.
And that means that somebody bought his voice for said commercial. And, I mean, Really? I, I honestly think like this, this is a theft of you. Like this is theft. Um, you know, so there is legal action that should and I think can, you know, take place in these kind of situations. Um, you know, how did, how did somebody get his voice?
Who was it that took it? I mean, it's probably a lot of investigating that needs to happen, but this is not the only instance of this. You know, I was looking up some news stories and there's a few, uh, prominent vocal actors who, who have had this happen. You know, how will this take over the industry? I don't, I still don't see it taking over, you know, it's, it's going to be a pain in the, in the side for, you know, a minute, but.
This is how I can equate it now, right? It's like, think about going to Walmart and there's the self checkout, or there's you actually using a sales clerk to actually ring you out. You know, sure, the self checkout's convenient. But how many people are getting free groceries from Walmart right now because they ain't swiping everything?
You know, I just feel like it's not beneficial in the long run. Walmart loses out, and by how much money, because they're trying to, quote unquote, save money in the end. Um, you know, and I think that's gonna be the same case when it comes to AI. So it's like I had my initial comparison, but I think a better comparison in this moment is just that.
It's the lacking of human connection, but it's also the... The cheap out, you know, you're gonna, you're gonna get what you paid for in the end, uh, in a lot of ways. Machines screw up all the time, uh, this is why, it's like computers are great, and they, they serve some great purposes in some ways, but not all the ways.
And when it comes to that, that connection with, with people and the, uh, that human quality, a computer, no matter how much you tweak and how much you try to train it, it's still gonna have. Some some issues, uh and some bugs and it's not going to get the job done the way That it's going to need to I think in the end But I would love to hear your two cents on it because in some ways It can be helpful.
We talked about the story of James Earl Jones wanting to step down a little bit kind of like semi retire and when it comes to uh What he's semi retiring from it's really his his role that he's had for years since the 70s as darth vader um, you know and they have so much of his voice that they can just kind of like type out the bits and pieces they might need for the future and Darth Vader can still live on as James Earl Jones.
Um, you know, and that's where it's beneficial and I'm sure he has some sort of contract involved where he is getting paid. But If your voice is stolen, you're not getting paid and that's not fair, you know what I mean? So there is gonna have to be some legal stuff that gets involved and I think once the legal action starts to take place That is is when um, you know, you've got AI kind of going back to my initial comparison of, uh, of Sirius XM, uh, you know, because it's just not going to work.
Uh, you know, there's so many reasons I think that it, it does not pan out in the way that, you know, somebody might be hoping right now, but I would, I would love to hear your two cents. So info at voice coaches. com again, info at voice coaches. com. Subject that you want us to tackle on the pod, please, uh, you know, hit, hit us up and, you know, we'll, we'll go ahead and we'll make sure that we get that on again soon.
But I thought it was interesting 'cause I did have a student bring it back up again in the last couple weeks and, and it's like, you know, you know that now that I think about it, you know, it has been a minute since we talked about it and some things have changed. Um, so it is always good to revisit a topic here and there, especially, you know, if this is something that gets prominently.
Discussed or a question that keeps popping back up, um, you know because obviously You got new people tuning in each and every week and we definitely appreciate that by we I mean me But yeah, I hope that said the summer is off to a great start for you Thank you so much for tuning in info at voice coaches comm if you've got a question or subject that you would like discussed here In in the voiceover world and a brand new episode is gonna be coming your way Stay safe, everybody.
Visit voice coaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, it’s been a bit since we talked about AI technology and how it’s effecting the voice over industry. Marissa had an initial comparison, but when a student asked about it again recently, she realized things have shifted a bit and what it might mean for us today.
