Audible has announced a collaboration with select publishers to produce audiobooks using AI narration, amid a push to expand the audiobook catalogue to include more titles.
While human narrators may be more emotive, AI narrators can help boost the catalogue with a number of niche or indie titles that might not otherwise be made into audio recordings.
Audible aims to use AI to translate books into different languages, too.
This will provide a greater number of choices for listeners and could help creators reach new audiences, according to Audible’s CEO, Bob Carrigan, who said: “We’ll be able to bring more stories to life”.
The AI technology will be managed by Audible or self-managed by the publishers, with the latter option allowing the publisher to control the production process.
There are over 100 AI voices to choose from in English, French, Spanish and Italian.
