VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #636 – How to React When AI Is Involved
Voice coaches radio, everything voiceover. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio as we enter this Memorial Day weekend. You know what I got? I got an inflatable hot tub. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, I, I'm not exactly sure how to use it. I'm not exactly sure, uh, what I need to do, and I'm, I'm just hoping that it doesn't pop.
But, you know, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. Uh, now that I have it, I'm like, Hmm, well, we'll just see how this goes. I, I mean, listen, they're popular, so like they have to be sort of sturdy, right? Like to sit. Four to six people. Like it can't just pop that easy. Fingers crossed. Uh, that's all I can say.
Fingers crossed. Um, you know, we've had a lot of conversations about ai. I've had a lot of conversations off, you know, the pod as well. It's a, it's a weird thing and, and I feel like, you know, there's a lot of industries that are kind of. Taking hold of it and, and maybe doing it in the right ways and some that are, you know, it's a little sketchy.
You just really don't know how to treat it. I've had this opportunity come to me and the moment that I got this email, I'm like reading through it. I'm like, oh, this looks like a really great opportunity. And then all of a sudden it said something about using your voice with AI and like, whatever. And I'm like, Ooh, no, thank you.
Uh, and it took me, I guess like taking a second and thinking about it. I. Then like, you know, listening to what this, this guy from this company that I do do some stuff with had a say and, you know, he was hearing similar, uh, concerns from other people that are in the industry. And just like, you know, I don't wanna be the reason that this, this portion of the industry starts moving in this direction or, you know, taking work away from anybody else or whatever.
But at the same point. I know somebody else is gonna do this, you know what I mean? So it's like, do I do it and do I get paid or do I let somebody else take it because I am over here trying to stand like my moral high ground. Um, and I guess you, you gotta waste some pros and cons. So the, the situation at hand for me.
It's a radio opportunity. Uh, and I, I do work through a portion of this company. This is like another branch of it that had reached out. And you know, I, I know that there's already like people probably in radio that don't like the way I'm doing things in general, just 'cause like I'm from home and I, I do prerecord a little bit ahead and, you know, I'm doing it for cheaper and whatever.
But like, I, I needed to kind of pivot after the pandemic and I had to like. You know, do me, uh, in, in a way, and, you know, I, I was sick. I, I still kind of, I still am, I was gonna say kind of am, but I still am. Like, I still have this eye issue from the COVID vaccination that I have to deal with. Uh, so while it's not been.
You know, detrimental. Like I, I don't feel like I can necessarily just pick up and move for a radio opportunity, like, you know, so you kind of have to like, pivot, you know, in those moments. And I still need a paycheck and I still wanna do what I love. So it's like I do things in the way that, you know, is coming at me and that makes sense.
And, and I'm loving it. I mean, it works really nicely for me. Um, and so this opportunity with ai, you know, as it's coming at me, I'm just like looking at it like, okay, reading, reading. What this guy had to say. It's like, Hey, you know, we've got this opportunity to set up this, uh, new sector of this company and it's gonna involve all sorts of different radio genres.
Uh, you know, we wanna be able to. You have a, a, a voice and a face for each format when it comes to both male and female, and possibly multiple, you know, you could be across, uh, classic rock, but you could also be on pop and like, you know, and that in itself is just like, whoa, okay. And the word syndicated came out and I was like, oh, uh, okay, my, you've peaked my attention, uh, because this could mean.
Technically, you know, doing one job, but it being broadcast to multiple markets. So like, yeah, it's like less work and more money. Sign me up. Um, so, so, um, then I'm reading again and I'm reading further and it starts talking about how in order to make this happen, you know, it'd be a lot of work at first and really just then being able to have enough of my voice.
To be able to replicate me with ai. So my workload would be less, but each station that hops on is gonna be more money for me and only the same amount of work, basically. So kind of where my brain was at initially, I. But also like e you're getting like a robot involved here, but sounding like me. And, um, you know, it's, it's a weird place to be in.
You know, you start weighing some pros and cons and when I was talking to this guy about this, you know, there's a contract involved. The contract itself is basically stating, and this is where I'm like, okay, well maybe this can work. Uh, that the moment the contract is done. They can no longer use me, like my voice, my, my, uh, likeness of any kind, no matter what they've generated.
Like it stops. Um, and that, that I think is where I was like, oh, hmm, maybe this is an okay idea so that, you know, this is, these, these kind of things are gonna come at you sometimes, you know, and you've gotta really weigh it. And, and I said to him, I'm like, I'm still. Kinda on the fence, like I still need to know more.
So as you know, more like feel free to send it my way. 'cause I am intrigued and, and as somebody that has been in this industry for a while, I'm also not green and, and like naive enough to believe that just because I've passed it up. That everybody's gonna feel the same way and that everybody's gonna pass it up because I, I know somebody's gonna snag it, and that's money to be made at the end of the day.
And it could be quite a bit. Um, you know, so. I, I need it. We all need it, right? Um, I don't, I don't necessarily wanna get back into an office, uh, at any point. I, I've done it like periodically here and there. Um, you know, if you've listed to the pod, you know, at one point I worked at Lowe's during the pandemic, like, no, I'm not meant for hard labor.
Okay? Uh, I'm not meant to sit and type all day, um, like my brain. It would hurt on a regular basis if that were the case. I just don't even think I could handle it. Um, so gimme a creative platform and let me have some fun. And I, I think, you know, this, this could be something that that works nicely. But, you know, I, I also, I just don't wanna see all of radio go that way or all of voice because we lose a lot of stuff that way.
We lose a personal touch, we lose a human connection, you know, we'll lose what. We love about these platforms, about all of it, you know, as, as a consumer, as a listener, um, and, uh, you know, that, that, that connection that we might not even realize why we're enjoying it. It it is, it's like that human quality that is allowing you to relate to something.
Um, it's, it's allowing you to be apart or be sucked into something. And I really. I don't care what they do with ai. I, I just, I think that that quality gets lost in a, when the moment a computer gets involved. Um, you know, so it's just, uh, it's a tricky situation, but I, you know, I'll keep you updated on it.
'cause I, I mean, I, I have never had anything like this thrown at me. So when it was thrown at me, I was like, whoa, man, this really is like starting to. Like in, in a much greater way than I think I expected it to and quicker than I expected it to. And listen, like I said before, AI has its benefits in certain things.
I don't think that it should be used in a wide, like a wide way. Uh, because then again, we're gonna be losing a lot of, uh, a lot of the good that happens, uh, within the, the voiceover industry and community. Um, so it's not even just jobs, it's just, you know. The quality of stuff that's, that's gonna be coming out, then we, quality is key, uh, at the end of the day.
So, uh, if you've got something that you would love to discuss here on the pod, please hit us up, marissa@voicecoaches.com. That is, uh, direct, you know, email to me so marissa@voicecoaches.com. Uh, we'll get some new episodes your way again next week. Don't get too crispy this weekend for Memorial Day weekend.
All right, but a new episode is coming at you soon. Stay safe, everybody. Visit voice coaches.com for more voiceover news and information.
But, you know, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. Uh, now that I have it, I'm like, Hmm, well, we'll just see how this goes. I, I mean, listen, they're popular, so like they have to be sort of sturdy, right? Like to sit. Four to six people. Like it can't just pop that easy. Fingers crossed. Uh, that's all I can say.
Fingers crossed. Um, you know, we've had a lot of conversations about ai. I've had a lot of conversations off, you know, the pod as well. It's a, it's a weird thing and, and I feel like, you know, there's a lot of industries that are kind of. Taking hold of it and, and maybe doing it in the right ways and some that are, you know, it's a little sketchy.
You just really don't know how to treat it. I've had this opportunity come to me and the moment that I got this email, I'm like reading through it. I'm like, oh, this looks like a really great opportunity. And then all of a sudden it said something about using your voice with AI and like, whatever. And I'm like, Ooh, no, thank you.
Uh, and it took me, I guess like taking a second and thinking about it. I. Then like, you know, listening to what this, this guy from this company that I do do some stuff with had a say and, you know, he was hearing similar, uh, concerns from other people that are in the industry. And just like, you know, I don't wanna be the reason that this, this portion of the industry starts moving in this direction or, you know, taking work away from anybody else or whatever.
But at the same point. I know somebody else is gonna do this, you know what I mean? So it's like, do I do it and do I get paid or do I let somebody else take it because I am over here trying to stand like my moral high ground. Um, and I guess you, you gotta waste some pros and cons. So the, the situation at hand for me.
It's a radio opportunity. Uh, and I, I do work through a portion of this company. This is like another branch of it that had reached out. And you know, I, I know that there's already like people probably in radio that don't like the way I'm doing things in general, just 'cause like I'm from home and I, I do prerecord a little bit ahead and, you know, I'm doing it for cheaper and whatever.
But like, I, I needed to kind of pivot after the pandemic and I had to like. You know, do me, uh, in, in a way, and, you know, I, I was sick. I, I still kind of, I still am, I was gonna say kind of am, but I still am. Like, I still have this eye issue from the COVID vaccination that I have to deal with. Uh, so while it's not been.
You know, detrimental. Like I, I don't feel like I can necessarily just pick up and move for a radio opportunity, like, you know, so you kind of have to like, pivot, you know, in those moments. And I still need a paycheck and I still wanna do what I love. So it's like I do things in the way that, you know, is coming at me and that makes sense.
And, and I'm loving it. I mean, it works really nicely for me. Um, and so this opportunity with ai, you know, as it's coming at me, I'm just like looking at it like, okay, reading, reading. What this guy had to say. It's like, Hey, you know, we've got this opportunity to set up this, uh, new sector of this company and it's gonna involve all sorts of different radio genres.
Uh, you know, we wanna be able to. You have a, a, a voice and a face for each format when it comes to both male and female, and possibly multiple, you know, you could be across, uh, classic rock, but you could also be on pop and like, you know, and that in itself is just like, whoa, okay. And the word syndicated came out and I was like, oh, uh, okay, my, you've peaked my attention, uh, because this could mean.
Technically, you know, doing one job, but it being broadcast to multiple markets. So like, yeah, it's like less work and more money. Sign me up. Um, so, so, um, then I'm reading again and I'm reading further and it starts talking about how in order to make this happen, you know, it'd be a lot of work at first and really just then being able to have enough of my voice.
To be able to replicate me with ai. So my workload would be less, but each station that hops on is gonna be more money for me and only the same amount of work, basically. So kind of where my brain was at initially, I. But also like e you're getting like a robot involved here, but sounding like me. And, um, you know, it's, it's a weird place to be in.
You know, you start weighing some pros and cons and when I was talking to this guy about this, you know, there's a contract involved. The contract itself is basically stating, and this is where I'm like, okay, well maybe this can work. Uh, that the moment the contract is done. They can no longer use me, like my voice, my, my, uh, likeness of any kind, no matter what they've generated.
Like it stops. Um, and that, that I think is where I was like, oh, hmm, maybe this is an okay idea so that, you know, this is, these, these kind of things are gonna come at you sometimes, you know, and you've gotta really weigh it. And, and I said to him, I'm like, I'm still. Kinda on the fence, like I still need to know more.
So as you know, more like feel free to send it my way. 'cause I am intrigued and, and as somebody that has been in this industry for a while, I'm also not green and, and like naive enough to believe that just because I've passed it up. That everybody's gonna feel the same way and that everybody's gonna pass it up because I, I know somebody's gonna snag it, and that's money to be made at the end of the day.
And it could be quite a bit. Um, you know, so. I, I need it. We all need it, right? Um, I don't, I don't necessarily wanna get back into an office, uh, at any point. I, I've done it like periodically here and there. Um, you know, if you've listed to the pod, you know, at one point I worked at Lowe's during the pandemic, like, no, I'm not meant for hard labor.
Okay? Uh, I'm not meant to sit and type all day, um, like my brain. It would hurt on a regular basis if that were the case. I just don't even think I could handle it. Um, so gimme a creative platform and let me have some fun. And I, I think, you know, this, this could be something that that works nicely. But, you know, I, I also, I just don't wanna see all of radio go that way or all of voice because we lose a lot of stuff that way.
We lose a personal touch, we lose a human connection, you know, we'll lose what. We love about these platforms, about all of it, you know, as, as a consumer, as a listener, um, and, uh, you know, that, that, that connection that we might not even realize why we're enjoying it. It it is, it's like that human quality that is allowing you to relate to something.
Um, it's, it's allowing you to be apart or be sucked into something. And I really. I don't care what they do with ai. I, I just, I think that that quality gets lost in a, when the moment a computer gets involved. Um, you know, so it's just, uh, it's a tricky situation, but I, you know, I'll keep you updated on it.
'cause I, I mean, I, I have never had anything like this thrown at me. So when it was thrown at me, I was like, whoa, man, this really is like starting to. Like in, in a much greater way than I think I expected it to and quicker than I expected it to. And listen, like I said before, AI has its benefits in certain things.
I don't think that it should be used in a wide, like a wide way. Uh, because then again, we're gonna be losing a lot of, uh, a lot of the good that happens, uh, within the, the voiceover industry and community. Um, so it's not even just jobs, it's just, you know. The quality of stuff that's, that's gonna be coming out, then we, quality is key, uh, at the end of the day.
So, uh, if you've got something that you would love to discuss here on the pod, please hit us up, marissa@voicecoaches.com. That is, uh, direct, you know, email to me so marissa@voicecoaches.com. Uh, we'll get some new episodes your way again next week. Don't get too crispy this weekend for Memorial Day weekend.
All right, but a new episode is coming at you soon. Stay safe, everybody. Visit voice coaches.com for more voiceover news and information.
This week Marissa had an interesting opportunity pop up and it seemed really exciting until the term “A.I.” got involved. Hear what’s popped up and how she’s handling what could be.
