Deepfakes and Text-To-Speech Software
AI AND INNOVATION
In this post we explore the world of Deepfakes, and how Text-To-Speech software is giving voice to this new widespread phenomena.
We've reached that point in our civilization where artificial intelligence is becoming more and more capable of replicating human behavior.
With the advent of AI-based software like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Dall-e, machines can now generate human-like text and images with just a few simple prompts.
AI algorithms also define how content is presented to us, how we consume it, and how we interact with it.
As we continue to develop these technologies, we're moving closer and closer to a world where machines are indistinguishable from humans in terms of their abilities to create and interact with the world around us.
In this blog post, we'll explore one specific area of AI technology that's raising both excitement and concern:
Deepfakes
If you landed here at Sound Tech Insider, chances are you're looking to know more about this subject but with a focus on the "sound part" of it.
So we will focus on Text-to-speech software and its use in creating synthetic audio, particularly in the context of Deepfakes.
We'll take a closer look at how this technology works, its potential applications, and the ethical and practical considerations that come with it.
What is a Deepfake?
A deepfake is a type of synthetic media that's created using artificial intelligence algorithms.
It involves manipulating or generating digital content, such as images, videos, or audio recordings, in a way that appears realistic but is actually fabricated.
Deepfakes often involve the use of machine learning techniques, such as deep neural networks, to create highly convincing digital media that can be difficult to distinguish from real content.
It is undeniably impressive, from a technological standpoint, how accurate this technology is and how well it does its job.
We can easily imagine some awesome and creative ways to use this to our advantage, in a way that is productive. But it is also easy to see how something like this could be used in a nefarious and highly deceitful way.
Before continuing to explore the "Goods and Bads", feel free to have a small peek at this video of Morgan Freeman giving you an introduction to deepfake technology:
Well, when i wrote:
" Have a small peek of this video of Morgan Freeman giving you an introduction to deepfake technology"
I actually meant:
"Take a look at this video of an AI-generated Morgan Freeman impersonating the real Morgan Freeman, giving you a brief introduction to synthetic reality and making you question the whole meaning of your own existence and conscience"
Sorry about that...
Even though there is a lot of merit to this impressive technology, it is easy to see how quickly the feeling of awe and surprise can turn into feeling deceived.
After all, there is a "fake" in "deepfake". And we, human beings, are usually not the biggest fans of things that have a connotation of fakeness.
Let us, for a moment, make the distinction between "Deepfake" as a whole and explore the technical side of Text-To-Speech technology:
What is Text-to-Speech (TTS)?
Text-to-speech (TTS) technology is a type of software that can convert written text prompts into spoken audio.
Essentially, TTS takes a string of text as input and then uses a computerized voice to read that text aloud.
This technology has a wide range of applications, from accessibility features for visually impaired individuals to voice assistants like Siri or Alexa.
TTS software can also be used to generate audio content for podcasts or videos, or even to create synthetic voices for characters in movies or video games.
With recent advancements in natural language processing and machine learning, TTS is becoming increasingly sophisticated and realistic.
With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, and its capabilities to copy an individual's human voice it is starting to become harder to distinguish a human voice, from a computer-generated voice.
How does TTS (Text-to-Speech) work?
At a a more technical level, TTS software works by taking in written text and generating an audio waveform that sounds like a human speaking that text.
To do this, the software first analyzes the text and tries to identify the correct pronunciation and emphasis for each word.
It may use a pre-built database of words and their pronunciations to do this, or it may use a neural network that has been trained to recognize and generate human speech.
Once the software has determined the correct pronunciation and emphasis for each word, it uses a speech synthesizer to generate the audio waveform.
The synthesizer then works by generating a set of parameters that describe the pitch, duration, and amplitude of each sound in the waveform.
These parameters are then fed into a digital signal processor (DSP) that generates the final audio output.
The quality of the TTS output depends on a number of factors, such as:
Accuracy of the pronunciation and emphasis analysis,
Quality of the speech synthesizer and DSP
Sophistication of the algorithms used to generate the audio waveform.
Quality of the Audio data provided
With the help of Artificial Intelligence, TTS technology is now able to create a bridge between real human voices and synthetic speech, with some software being able to, not only, transform text into speech, but also do it in the voice of your choice.
This could be:
A famous character from any movie
Your favorite actor
A fiction character from a videogame of your choice.
Someone you know, like a friend of family member.
Yourself...
With enough audio data, any voice could be replicated with a high degree of accuracy.
With all of this in mind let us now explore:
The Good and The Bad
As with any kind of new powerful new technology, there is a plethora of use cases.
Many of them could be considered good and productive for the advancement of society and the betterment of our personal lives.
There are probably as many of them that can also be considered highly destructive and have an overall bad effect in the way we live as a society, and also in an individual level.
It is up to the good will and faith of the person who's using the technology to do it in a way that is ethical and non-exploitative.
It is hard to make a truly objective list with the "goods" and "bads" that are present in the use of Deepfakes and TTS technology. Morality can sometimes be subjective and we all have our own personal biases on what we consider fundamentally good or bad.
With that in mind, we at Sound Tech Insider, would still like to offer some food for thought, so here it is a small list with some of the potential uses of Deepfakes and TTS technology that we consider to be objectively good and bad:
Deepfakes:
Good:
Entertainment: Deepfakes can be used to create realistic special effects in movies or video games, allowing for more immersive storytelling.
Education: Deepfakes can be used to recreate historical events or speeches in a more engaging and interactive way.
Therapy: Deepfakes can be used to create simulations of real-life scenarios that can help people overcome fears or phobias.
Bad:
Fraud and identity theft: Deepfakes can be used to impersonate individuals and gain access to their personal information or financial accounts.
Revenge porn: Deepfakes can be used to create fake sexually explicit images or videos of individuals, which can be used to embarrass or blackmail them.
Political propaganda: Deepfakes can be used to create fake political advertisements or speeches that spread misinformation or influence public opinion.
Text-To-Speech:
Good:
Accessibility for visually impaired individuals: TTS can provide an audio alternative to written text, making it easier for visually impaired people to consume information and access digital content.
Voice assistants: TTS technology powers popular voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, making it easier for users to interact with their devices hands-free.
Language learning: TTS technology can be used to generate speech in multiple languages, helping language learners improve their listening and pronunciation skills.
Bad:
Fraud and scamming: TTS technology can be used to create realistic-sounding robocalls or voice messages that deceive people into giving away personal information or money.
Misinformation: TTS technology can be used to create fake news articles or audio recordings that spread false information or by impersonating different influential figures.
Harassment and cyberbullying: TTS technology can be used to create fake audio recordings that harass or bully individuals, making it difficult to identify the perpetrator.
Overall, while deepfakes have the potential to be used for good purposes, their misuse can have serious consequences.
As the technology continues to develop, we should be aware of the ethical implications of using deepfakes and TTS and always be open to discuss the best move forward each time the technology goes through the next step.
Until then, let us explore some more use cases for Text-to-Speech:
Also read: "AI-Generated Music - The ethical concerns for the music industry"
Where can TTS be used?
With something as broad as a software that is capable of turning simple text into complex speech, there are a ton of ways this technology can be used, and in a cliché manner, it can be said that "The sky is the limit".
Here is a non exhaustive list with 10 different ideas on how you could use TTS:
Accessibility: TTS is commonly used as an accessibility feature for people with visual impairments. It can help them access written content in a way that is more natural and intuitive.
E-learning: TTS can be used to create audio versions of written material for e-learning platforms. This can help learners who prefer auditory learning, or who have difficulty reading.
Podcasts and videos: TTS can be used to generate audio content for podcasts or videos, saving time and resources on voiceover work.
Voice assistants: TTS is an essential technology for voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. These devices rely on TTS to communicate with users and respond to their commands.
Language learning: TTS can be used to help people learn new languages. It can read text in the target language, providing learners with a model for pronunciation and intonation.
Audio books: TTS can be used to create audio versions of books, making them accessible to people who prefer listening to reading.
Synthetic voices for movies and video games: TTS technology can create synthetic voices for characters in movies or video games. This can save time and resources on voiceover work, and allow for greater flexibility in the creative process.
Assistive technology: TTS can be used as assistive technology for people with disabilities, such as those with dyslexia, or people with motor impairments who have difficulty typing.
Customer service: TTS can be used to create natural-sounding automated voice systems for customer service. This can save time and resources on hiring and training human customer service representatives.
News and weather updates: TTS can be used to generate audio versions of news and weather updates for radio or other media. This can save time and resources on hiring and training human newsreaders.
What to expect in the future?
In conclusion, text-to-speech software is a powerful tool for creating synthetic audio that has a wide range of potential applications.
However, the technology also poses risks, particularly in the creation of audio-based deepfakes.
Moving forward, it will be important to develop effective methods for detecting and preventing deepfakes, as well as to explore the ethical and legal implications of this technology.
We should expect the technology to keep getting better and better with time, and we should seek to use it in a way that benefits humanity.
Because at the end of the day, we are the ones programming AI and creating these deepfakes.
And now that the technology is available and "Pandora's Box" is open, the best way to move forward, is to preserve our humanity and keep our human values at check.