Amazon is allowing a select group of Audible narrators to create AI-generated voice clones, giving them the potential to streamline audiobook production. The narrators will retain creative control over their AI voices and will be compensated on a “title-by-title” basis, though the exact earnings are not yet fully detailed.
The US-only beta test, launched this week, enables narrators to submit voice recordings to train their AI replicas. The program will expand to include rights holders, such as authors and publishers, later in the year.
Participants can use Amazon’s tools to modify their AI-generated voices for projects, ensuring the final product aligns with their standards. These tools allow narrators to:
- Edit the pronunciation for better accuracy,
- Adjust pacing to match their intended style,
- Review the final production for any errors or inaccuracies.
While narrators will have the freedom to choose which projects to work on, Amazon emphasized that AI replicas will only be used with the approval of the narrators.
“Narrators control what works are narrated with their voice replica. Audible will not separately use a narrator’s voice replica for any content without their approval.” – Amazon
In terms of compensation, Amazon has not specified how much narrators will earn through the “Royalty Share” model, which applies to each title. The option to create a voice replica is currently free, but Amazon’s statement suggests that an upfront fee may apply if the feature becomes generally available. Titles using AI-generated narrations will be clearly labeled, and human narrators maintain control over the projects using their voice replicas.
This initiative follows a similar feature Amazon introduced last year for Kindle Direct Publishing authors, allowing them to convert their written works into audiobooks using fully synthetic voices. The use of virtual voices on Audible titles has raised concerns among narrators, who fear it could limit job opportunities.
According to reports, around 40,000 Audible titles have been narrated with synthetic voices since the feature’s launch, and critics have noted that Audible currently lacks a filtering option for users who prefer human-narrated audiobooks.
Featured Image courtesy of Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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