Sarah Ezekiel, diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) back in 2000, had been communicating via a robotic-sounding system—until now.
A scratched eight-second VHS clip captured her authentic speech, which tech teams at Smartbox and ElevenLabs used to recreate her natural voice with her Cockney accent intact. Her children, Aviva and Eric, heard her true voice for the first time—a deep emotional milestone.
Voice Cloning Ethics Under the Spotlight as Capabilities Soar
Hume’s CEO warns that advances in voice cloning are exploding—with tools like Evi 3 capable of mimicking a person’s voice from just 30 seconds of audio.
While the tech opens doors in content creation and accessibility, the ethical stakes are high—misuse through impersonation or fraud is a real concern, and safeguards are lagging behind innovation.
Google Docs Aims to Be Your Virtual Narrator
Google is bringing text to life—Docs now lets you have your documents read aloud using AI voice narration.
Users can choose from different voices and adjust the reading speed, blending productivity with accessibility in a way that may even eliminate screen fatigue.
AI Voice Reclamation Trends: Beyond the Headlines
These breakthroughs highlight a broader shift: technology is no longer just a convenience—it’s a lifeline. For those with speech impairments, voice truly equals identity.
Tech developers and ethicists face the challenge of balancing innovation with integrity. While tools like Hume’s Evi 3 drive us forward, stories like Sarah’s remind us what’s at stake: connection, dignity, and belonging.
Interested in diving into legislation around voice rights or how AI voice restores more than just words? Just say the word.
