AI’s the Voice, Try and Understand It.

Matt Clough ponders the future of voiceovers as he works on his tan.

If video killed the radio star then just think of the genocidal threat that AI poses against the good old voiceover artist.

To begin with (and frighteningly, it’s not that long ago) AI voices were easily exposed as frauds. They were clunky, robotic and above all else, hollow. They pronounced words in an odd way, with not a hint of the honest slang or regional accents you’d find in your local Butlins or Costa Del Sol resort, so it was simple to spot the pretender. But these days, not so much.

Speaking of holidays… on my recent summer outing, I found myself lounging around the poolside when I received a ping for another AI tool. This one was different from most of the ones we had looked at in the office, so I decided to give it a try in between suncream top-ups.

It was a song-based app where you can pump in your own lyrics but not only did it create the entire song (guitar, piano, solo - the lot!), it did it with the most amazingly realistic AI singing voices I’ve heard yet. If you didn’t have lyrics, no problem, just tell it what type of song you wanted and offer a few prompts and ‘hey presto’ you have a 3 minute wonder hit on your hands. I spent the rest of the day making sure I got as many people to listen to mine as possible - hotel staff, holiday reps, even the old lady taking the lift gave it a thumbs up and hummed along.

What’s next!? Do the stadium rock bands need to be worried? I don’t think so (just yet) but the use of AI voices was often frowned upon as recently as last year. By flipping the table and embracing these rapid advancements within your elearning courses, you could have a huge advantage in creating vibrant, dynamic content that is not only engaging to the end user but also provides a memorable experience with a catchy chorus.

Take a look at our top 10 ways to unashamedly utilise AI voices within your content, and if all else fails, at least you might have a number one hit on your hands by the end of the day. Go for it!

1. Personalised Learning Experiences

Voice technology can help deliver content tailored to individual learner preferences.

AI voices can be customised to suit different learning styles, preferences, and yes - even accents! This could help provide learners with a more personal and relatable experience. For example, learners can choose different accents, speech speeds, or even the gender of the voice delivering the material, creating a more comfortable learning experience. Personalisation provides a sense of connection with the material, making it more engaging and easier to follow.

This adaptability allows eLearning platforms to cater to diverse audiences across the globe.

2. Accessibility for Diverse Learners

One of the key benefits of incorporating voice technology into eLearning is improved accessibility. AI voices support learners with visual impairments or reading difficulties such as dyslexia, or those who find it challenging to focus on text-heavy content can benefit immensely from spoken content.

By offering high quality voiceovers for content, eLearning becomes more inclusive, meeting the needs of learners who benefit from auditory content over written text. This in turn helps to ensure that all learners, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, can fully participate in the course. This technology aligns with legal and ethical obligations to make learning accessible to all.

3. On-Demand Multilingual Content

Voice technology is a powerful tool for offering content in multiple languages. With AI-powered voice synthesis, eLearning platforms can quickly generate content in multiple languages. This allows platforms to deliver courses to international students or create localised versions for different regions, all without needing multiple human voiceovers.

In turn, this eliminates the need for learners to translate materials themselves, which can lead to misunderstandings or missed information. It also allows organisations to expand their audience and cater to international learners without the high cost and time constraints of hiring human translators and voice actors and allows learners from different linguistic backgrounds to receive instruction in their preferred language.

4. Interactive Learning Modules

Interactive learning is a proven way to boost engagement and retention.

Voice technology can play a key role in bringing interactivity to learning modules, offering instant verbal feedback to learner inputs, guiding learners through exercises and quizzes, or providing gentle prompts along the way, and receiving instant verbal corrections or encouragement.

This form of interaction feels more natural than reading text on a screen and can create a more immersive and engaging learning experience.

5. Verbal Assessments and Feedback

Providing learners with verbal feedback rather than written comments can make assessments more engaging and impactful.

Instead of reading text based feedback, learners can receive personalised feedback in a natural sounding AI voice. This could make assessments feel more engaging and reduce the cognitive load on learners by having key points explained clearly through audio which can help them to feel more motivated to act on the feedback.

6. Cost-Effective Content Updates

One of the challenges of maintaining up-to-date eLearning content is the cost and effort involved in re-recording human voiceovers whenever materials need updating.

Re-recording human voiceovers can be expensive and time-consuming. AI voices, however, can be updated with minimal effort and cost, allowing for continuous improvements and updates without breaking the budget.

Changes can be made on the fly, ensuring that learners always have access to the most current information, all while reducing time and costs. This makes it easier for educational institutions and businesses to maintain and improve their training materials regularly.

7. Enhanced Learner Engagement

A well-crafted voiceover can breathe life into eLearning content.

AI-generated voices can mimic human intonations, adding energy and enthusiasm to content. This helps combat the monotony sometimes associated with eLearning and keeps learners engaged for longer periods.

Rather than reading through dense, text-heavy slides or handouts, learners can listen to expressive and dynamic narrations that bring the material to life. Voiceovers that vary in tone, intonation, and enthusiasm can make the content more relatable and enjoyable. A lively voice can keep learners' attention and maintain their focus, which is especially important for longer courses or when covering complex topics.

8. Customisable Voice Tones and Styles

Different subjects or types of training may require different tones and styles of delivery.

For instance, a course on leadership or communication skills may benefit from a more conversational, friendly tone, while a technical course on compliance or regulatory frameworks may require a more formal and authoritative voice.

Voice technology allows content creators to adjust the tone, pitch, and pacing to match the subject matter, helping to set the right mood and context for the material.

9. Real Time Voice Translation in Virtual Classrooms

In virtual classrooms, voice technology can provide real-time translation services and allow learners from different countries to follow along even if the course is taught in a foreign language.

While a lesson is delivered in English, non-native speakers could listen to a near-instantaneous voice translation in their preferred language. This capability provides greater inclusivity, allowing students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to collaborate and participate in lessons without the barrier of language differences.

10. Scalable Learning Solutions for Large Audiences

Voice technology makes it easy to scale eLearning content to large audiences without compromising on quality.

For organisations offering open online courses or internal corporate training across multiple departments, using voice technology allows high-quality narration to be added without the logistical challenges of managing human voiceover talent.

This scalability ensures that even as the audience grows, learners can enjoy the same consistent, professional quality in their learning materials, allowing educational initiatives to reach a broader audience with less effort and cost.

Right, I’ll get back to my sunbathing. I expect to hear some AI tunes from you soon!