Study: Most people can't distinguish AI voices from humans
New study reveals AI voice clones are indistinguishable from human voices, raising concerns about misuse.
Why it matters
- AI-generated voices are becoming increasingly realistic, making it hard for listeners to distinguish them from human voices.
- This has implications for both beneficial uses and potential misuse.
By the numbers
- 50 participants in each of two experiments.
- Voice clones were labeled as "human" as often as human voices (58% vs. 62%).
- Generic AI-generated voices were labeled as "human" 41% of the time.
The big picture
- AI-generated voices are increasingly realistic, with voice clones being particularly convincing.
- The study did not find a hyperrealism effect for voices, unlike with AI-generated faces.
- The findings highlight both the potential benefits and risks of AI-generated voices.
What they're saying
- Comments mention specific cues that help identify AI voices, such as odd intonation and lack of variation in pronunciation.
- One comment humorously notes that people might start questioning if they're talking to a robot.
Caveats
- The study was conducted with a specific set of voices and participants, so results may vary in other contexts.
- The study did not find a hyperrealism effect for voices, but some individual voice clones were perceived as more real than their human counterparts.
What’s next
- Future research could explore whether further advancements in AI voice generation could achieve hyperrealism.
- Studies could also look into how different demographics perceive AI-generated voices and how familiarity with specific voices affects perception.