Learn how an AI voice generator works, explore the many available features and platforms, and then identify the best AI solution to meet your needs. Use these insights to guide your decision.
What is an AI voice generator & how to instantly get text to speech
There’s no perfect estimate for how many documents are available to readers around the world. Some have argued for tens of millions, or even trillions, of documents capturing untold hours of information. So there’s good reason why you might seek out an AI voice generator to turn text to speech and help you process text with a unique voice that fits your pace and style. Not only can an AI voice be helpful, it can also be a lot of fun to get voiceovers with a realistic voice customized just for you. Although some might turn immediately to a platform such as Lovo, Murf, Play.ht or Resemble.AI for help, it’s important to consider how an AI voice generator works, what its applications can be and then identify the best AI solution to meet your needs. If you’re familiar with synthetic voices programmed into technologies available from global tech firms such as Amazon, IBM and Microsoft, or as heard on social media such as TikTok, you’re ready to explore the use cases for an AI voice generator. The following explainer hits the highlights of generated speech.
What features are available with an AI voice generator?
A lot of investment has gone into this emerging space thanks to speech synthesis markup language, or SSML, and other mechanisms. This means the search for high-quality custom voices has never been easier. Yet the broad ecosystem of choices can be overwhelming. What’s more, every person’s preferred apps and devices for getting text-to-speech are different. You might not only need an AI voice generator but also an API that integrates text-to-speech capabilities into the app of your choice. Here are some features to consider when you are searching for the perfect AI voice with text-to-speech capabilities that can provide voiceovers and other helpful features:
Voices
Many realistic voice options are available from a text-to-speech AI voice generator. These high-quality voice options are developed with the help of machine learning to deliver pronunciations that are clear and easily understood. They are designed for an array of users to access real-time information for their lives or their businesses. One feature, known as voice cloning, even enables you to input samples of your voice into a computer and create a similar-sounding voice that can then be used to read documents or podcasts back to you.
Accents
One of the subtle but important details to consider when seeking out an AI voice for you is that of accents. Voiceovers might be more meaningful and more easily understood if you hear text spoken back to you in human-like voices or natural-sounding voices. Accents convey not only a professional voiceover but also the added familiarity of new voices or your own voice, depending on your preference.
Languages
Whether you speak English or different languages, an AI voice can use artificial intelligence to turn text into audio files, assisting you in getting the information you need with familiar inflections delivered by generated voices. Speech voice isn’t easy to replicate, so consider selecting a platform that closely replicates human speech synthesis. The user experience will be far superior with a system programmed for voice synthesis that sounds realistic compared to a system that sounds mechanical and robot-like.
Browser extension
In addition to features such as pricing, look for a browser extension that can help you get text-to-speech capabilities with natural-sounding speech no matter where you are online. This might seem basic, but the time-savings you can achieve from a browser extension can be substantial.
What are some good AI voice generator Online tools?
Speech tool access is available across the internet, and the right speech generator can make a positive difference whether you are pursuing e-learning, basic voice recordings or other AI text capabilities such as interactive voice recognition, or IVR. Some examples of these tools are:
Natural Reader
This platform offers free and paid subscriptions for turning text into voice. However, the free plan it limits your ability to access certain kinds of voice to specified chunks of time, for example 5-minute or 20-minute intervals. It offers a Chrome internet browser extension for accessing voices on select platforms and devices listeners use.
TTS tool
This system is a bare-bones approach to AI voice. Users navigate to the website and select their preferred provider and language. Then, they choose from a dropdown of generated voices. The platform offers a simple blank box into which text can be typed and an .mp3 file downloaded for use.
Voice Dream
This newer entry to the world of AI voice comes in app form and promises a user-friendly design with reader, writer and scanner capabilities. It offers more than 200 voices and includes an offline mode for access on the go. Other features include annotation and accessibility in multiple browsers plus compatibility with commonly used tools such as Dropbox and Google Drive.
Beyond Words
Specifically for publishers, this platform offers text-to-speech services with its own API and a collection of more than 700 voices and over 60 languages from which users can select. Other features include voice cloning and automatic SSML, which is designed to create a listening experience that’s natural and engaging.
Speechify
The best AI voice generator available on the market is Speechify, which provides a seamless text-to-speech experience to listeners with free or subscription models. A single subscription to Speechify gets you Android, iOS, Chrome and Safari extensions for ease of use across all of your devices. Speechify is ready for use by individuals, groups, companies and even publishers. It provides cloud storage so that you can access the information you need without running out of space. Speechify makes it easy to read almost anything in a browser. You can also scan documents into the app and Speechify will read it back to you. There are many high-quality choices for an AI voice generator. Yet when it comes to a reliable and high-quality experience, Speechify strikes all the right notes, tones and accents for high-quality voiceovers. Try Speechify’s AI Voice Generator online for free.
FAQs
1. Can I use AI voice generators to make audiobooks? How do they sound compared to real voice actors?
Yes, you can use AI voice generators to make audiobooks. These AI tools can read out loud very clearly, so they're good for making audiobooks. But, even though AI voices can sound real and have different styles, real voice actors add special feelings and emotions to their readings. This makes listening to them a unique experience. So, if you want your audiobook to have that special touch, real voice actors are the best choice. But if you're looking for a quicker and cheaper option, AI voice generators are a good pick.
2. Can these AI tools give me voice recordings in different formats like WAV?
Yes, they can! While some AI tools give you voice recordings in the .mp3 format, many of them can also give you recordings in other formats, including WAV. WAV is a high-quality sound format that many professionals like to use. So, if you're working on a project and need top-quality sound, make sure the AI tool you pick can give you WAV files.
3. How do AI voice tools compare to real voice actors in terms of cost and time?
AI voice tools usually cost less and work faster than real voice actors. With AI, once you tell it how you want the reading to sound, it can make the voice recording very quickly. On the other hand, working with real voice actors might take more time. You have to find them, set up recording times, and sometimes ask for changes in the recording. This can also cost more money. But remember, real voice actors can add feelings to their readings that AI tools might not capture. So, if you have the time and money, and you want the best quality, real voice actors are a great choice. But if you need something done fast and with less cost, AI voice tools are a handy option.
Tyler Weitzman
Tyler Weitzman is the Co-Founder, Head of Artificial Intelligence & President at Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews. Weitzman is a graduate of Stanford University, where he received a BS in mathematics and a MS in Computer Science in the Artificial Intelligence track. He has been selected by Inc. Magazine as a Top 50 Entrepreneur, and he has been featured in Business Insider, TechCrunch, LifeHacker, CBS, among other publications. Weitzman’s Masters degree research focused on artificial intelligence and text-to-speech, where his final paper was titled: “CloneBot: Personalized Dialogue-Response Predictions.”