Learn what you need to create a deepfake voice, the dangers of using one, and how to use text to speech software as an alternative.
The rise of deepfake media is one of the hottest topics in the cybersecurity sphere and media. It has various uses, from creating adult content to fake news to financial fraud. Using someone else’s likeness and voice without their consent in believable video and audio clips may seem like a technological breakthrough in artificial intelligence. However, it’s not without controversy.
What is a deepfake voice?
A deepfake voice is a voice that closely mimics a real person’s voice. Although synthetic, the voice is humanlike and can accurately replicate tonality, accents, cadence, and other unique characteristics.
People who create deepfake voices or voice cloning use AI technology and robust computing power. Sometimes it can take weeks to clone another person’s voice. Additionally, apart from specialized tools and software, deepfakes need training data. That often means having sufficient recordings of the target person’s voice.
In some ways, this process is similar to using text to speech software to generate synthetic voices. But TTS software usually creates natural-sounding voices without trying to replicate a specific person’s voice.
Naturally, there’s nothing wrong with people cloning their voices for audiobooks, voiceovers, and other types of content. However, creating deepfake voices of other people without their consent is a serious concern.
The risks of deepfake voices
Voice authentication seemed like something out of science fiction movies for a long time. Unfortunately, the technology exists today and is far from infallible. As deepfake voice software and neural networks evolved, scammers were able to do more damage.
Back in 2020, a bank manager received a call from who he believed was a company director. The manager recognized the voice and had no trouble authorizing a transfer of $35 million. The manager had no idea the company director’s voice was a cloned voice.
Forbes reported on a similar incident a year before. It happened at an energy company from the U.K. that got scammed by a deepfake voice of a trusted individual.
Even scarier, obtaining clear recordings of people’s voices is effortless. You can get them through recorders, online interviews, press conferences, etc. The voice capture technology is also getting much better. Thus, the data fed into AI models are more accurate and lead to more believable deepfake voices.
Cybersecurity tools have yet to devise foolproof ways to detect audio deepfakes.
The best deepfake voice software
Speechify
Unlike other tools on this list, Speechify Voice Over isn’t a voice-cloning app. However, text to speech software uses high-quality AI algorithms to create synthetic media and natural-sounding voices. Speechify Voice Over Studio comes with a vast library of humanlike voices and can create new ones based on various parameters.
The voice conversion from text helps people read along with written text or create podcasts. It can even make audio recordings based on the text you input or scan. You can use them for marketing, outgoing messages, customer support replies, etc.
Resemble
Resemble AI is one of the most powerful audio software for creating deepfake recordings. The cloning software doesn’t need vast amounts of data before it can start cloning.
You can use Resemble to clone your own voice. In that scenario, it’s efficient for creating pre-recorded commercial clips or scripting podcasts, making ads, etc. The speech synthesis software also supports multiple languages and offers various modulation tools to personalize voices and add intonation or emotion.
Descript
Descript is a voice cloning tool with advanced editing capabilities. It can work from transcripts and audio clips to generate realistic voices that people can use for convincing deepfake videos.
Although Descript has a high learning curve, the advanced customization, screen recorder, and multitrack editing features can help you create ultra-realistic speeches in anyone’s voice.
ReSpeecher
Using machine learning algorithms to create AI voices that resemble real people can be exciting and a great business. ReSpeecher is the software used by Lucasfilm to create Luke Skywalker’s voice in The Mandalorian.
It shows that some deepfake voice software can do more than short clips for social media. ReSpeecher is in high demand due to its quality synthesized speech capabilities and proven track record of mimicking human voices.
Real-Time Voice Cloning
Not everyone has hundreds of dollars to spend every month on ReSpeecher or wait in the user queue. Some people want a more affordable, perhaps free, option. Real-Time Voice Cloning is open-source software anyone can access on GitHub.
It’s not the easiest speech synthesis software to work with for generating voice recordings in another person’s voice, but it works with smaller audio clips. In some use cases, the audio samples could be enough to fool Alexa or make a few prank phone calls.
iSpeech
iSpeech is another free voice generator focused on voice cloning. It has advanced speech recognition software and a text-to-speech reader as well. The app has extended functionality and an existing collection of celebrity voices.
You can use iSpeech to create custom voice deepfakes and unique templates and record your voice. It’s a versatile tool, albeit not as convincing as others on this list. Yet it serves as a great introductory app into the world of deepfakes.
Speechify – Create natural-sounding human voices
Speechify makes the most of deep learning algorithms to generate natural-sounding human voices that can pass as humanlike without cloning a specific person’s voice. Although deepfakes have many cybersecurity concerns, text-to-speech software is generally more helpful than helpful.
Try Speechify Voice Over Studioto create podcasts and narrations, read complex content more easily, learn a new language, and much more.
FAQ
Is FakeYou free?
FakeYou is a limited but free AI voice generator. It has an extensive library of voices that sound like celebrities, and anyone can use it if they don’t mind the often slow conversion times. After all, it’s easy to use in a browser.
How can you detect deepfake voices?
Detecting deepfake voices requires highly advanced software and hardware to break down speech patterns, background noise, and other elements.
What is the difference between a deepfake voice and a voice synthesizer?
Deepfake voices often refer to cloned voices, whereas voice synthesizers generate humanlike voices for commercial purposes.
