ChatGPT maker OpenAI has unveiled a voice-cloning tool but has no plans to release it yet as it tries to iron out safety concerns surrounding the latest addition to its generative artificial intelligence arsenal.
The service, Voice Engine, has been in development since late 2022 – about the same time when ChatGPT was launched – and uses text input and a 15-second audio sample to generate “natural-sounding speech that closely resembles the original speaker”, California-based OpenAI said in a blog post on Friday.
It is aimed at reading assistance, translation, supporting people who are non-verbal and helping patients with degenerative speech conditions recover their voice, as well as being a service to help hasten community services in remote areas, it said.
Voice Engine joins OpenAI's suite of generative AI platforms, including Dall-E for images, Sora for video and ChatGPT, which began the generative AI revolution.
Early testers will be able to preview Voice Engine, with no plans to go public “at this time”, OpenAI said, in line with the company's “approach to AI safety and our voluntary commitment”.
“We are taking a cautious and informed approach to a broader release due to the potential for synthetic voice misuse. We hope to start a dialogue on the responsible deployment of synthetic voices and how society can adapt to these new capabilities,” OpenAI said.
The company did not provide a timeline for Voice Engine's general release.
“Based on these conversations and the results of these small-scale tests, we will make a more informed decision about whether and how to deploy this technology at scale,” it said.
Voice cloning has long been used in industries and supports tasks such as customer support and engagement, as well as contribute to cost and operational efficiencies.
The global voice cloning market is projected to hit nearly $9.3 billion by 2030, from an estimated $1.45 billion in 2022, growing at a compound annual rate of more than 26 per cent, latest data from Grand View Research shows.
However, with the advent of generative AI, risks have also come to the fore, which include misinformation, fakery and bias, among others.
OpenAI, in particular, acknowledged that these risks are heightened in 2024, being an election year in the US, where a rematch is expected between incumbent President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who engaged in a highly-polarising, social media-fuelled battle in 2020.
“We recognise that generating speech that resembles people's voices has serious risks … we are engaging with US and international partners from across government, media, entertainment, education, civil society and beyond to ensure we are incorporating their feedback as we build,” OpenAI said.
OpenAI said its Voice Engine partners have agreed to its use policies, which prohibit the impersonation of another individual or organisation without consent or legal right, and require “explicit and informed consent” from the original speaker.
“We don’t allow developers to build ways for individual users to create their own voices. Partners must also clearly disclose to their audience that the voices they're hearing are AI-generated,” the company said.
$100bn data centre supercomputer with Microsoft
Meanwhile, OpenAI and its biggest backer, Microsoft, are in talks to develop a data centre powered by a supercomputer built from millions of specialised chips, The Information reported on Friday, quoting sources.
The supercomputer, said to be named Stargate, is expected to cost as much as $100 billion and would be based in the US, it said.
Microsoft, which reportedly invested $10 billion into OpenAI in January 2023, will be most likely to finance the project, which would be about 100 times more costly compared to present data centre projects, the report said.
OpenAI and Microsoft have not commented on the report.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
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7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
Specs
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
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RESULTS
ATP China Open
G Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt R Bautista Agut (ESP x5)
7-6, 4-6, 6-2
R Nadal (ESP x1) bt J Isner (USA x6)
6-4, 7-6
WTA China Open
S Halep (ROU x2) bt D Kasatkina (RUS)
6-2, 6-1
J Ostapenko (LAT x9) bt S Cirstea (ROU)
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ATP Japan Open
D Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt S Johnson (USA)
6-0, 7-5
D Goffin (BEL x4) bt R Gasquet (FRA)
7-5, 6-2
M Cilic (CRO x1) bt R Harrison (USA)
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
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- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
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By Mark Haddon
(Penguin Random House)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
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Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
