Open source AI voice generators: Everything you need to know

Here's everything you need to know about open source AI voice generators, the best ones out there, and how they compare to closed source apps.

As the realm of artificial intelligence continues to expand, one subset that is gaining considerable attention is AI voice generators. These sophisticated text to speech tools utilize intricate algorithms to convert written content into lifelike, natural-sounding speech. Particularly noteworthy are open source AI voice generators, which provide a collaborative platform for developers worldwide to modify, enhance, and distribute this fascinating technology.

Let’s explore the world of open source AI voice generators, their operation, their differences from closed source counterparts, and some of the top platforms in this space.

What is open source technology?

Open source technology refers to a type of software whose source code is freely available to the public, allowing anyone to inspect, modify, and distribute the software as they see fit. This approach promotes transparency and facilitates a collaborative environment where developers can learn from each other, contribute to projects, and improve software quality.

Open source technology is pervasive across many fields of software development, with countless examples demonstrating its versatility. In operating systems, Linux is perhaps the most well-known example, lauded for its robustness, security, and customizability. In the realm of databases, MySQL and PostgreSQL stand out for their high performance and reliability. For web servers, Apache and Nginx are popular choices. Python and JavaScript are open source programming languages widely used in both academic and commercial settings. In the realm of AI and machine learning, TensorFlow and PyTorch are leading open source libraries for creating and training complex AI models. Git, an open source version control system, is used by millions of developers worldwide for collaborative software development. These examples only scratch the surface of open source technology's vast landscape, demonstrating its extensive influence on the software industry.

What are AI voice generators?

Artificial intelligence (AI) voice generators, also known as text to speech (TTS) tools, are sophisticated AI technologies that convert written text into spoken words. These tools generate high-quality, natural-sounding, and often lifelike voiceovers, creating an illusion of human speech. AI voice generators find use in various applications, such as creating audiobooks, dubbing video games, producing podcasts, and providing voiceovers for social media content.

How do open source AI voice generators work?

Open source AI voice generators typically utilize advanced machine learning and deep learning algorithms for speech synthesis. They are trained using large datasets of recorded human speech, enabling them to produce synthetic voices that mimic human speech patterns and intonations.

A TTS tool converts input text into phonetic transcription, which is then converted into speech by an AI model trained on various human voices. Developers can usually access these tools via an API, allowing for real-time voice generation or creating audio files, such as WAV, for future use.

Python is a commonly used language in the open-source community, including in open source TTS projects. Many of these projects can be found on GitHub, a popular platform for hosting open source projects.

Differences between open source and closed source AI voice generators

The primary difference between open source and closed source AI voice generators lies in accessibility and customization. Open source tools, due to their public accessibility, allow developers to modify the source code, enhancing its functionality or adapting it to specific use cases.

Closed source tools like Speechify or Murf, on the other hand, restrict access to their source code. These proprietary tools often come with customer support and regular updates but lack the flexibility and customizability of their open-source counterparts.

In terms of pricing, open source tools are generally free, while closed source tools may charge fees for using their software or services.

Top open source AI voice generators

Open source AI voice generators provide cost-effective, customizable, and high-quality solutions for text to speech conversion. Whether you're a content creator looking to add a lifelike voiceover to your video, a developer aiming to add a voice interface to your application, or an AI enthusiast looking to experiment with voice cloning, open source AI voice generators are valuable resources to consider.

1. Uberduck

Uberduck is another high-quality open-source TTS tool known for its impressive range of unique, synthetic voices. It uses deep learning to produce highly realistic voice clones of various celebrities and characters. This feature is especially useful in the video game industry and for social media content creators needing a specific voice type.

2. Festival Speech Synthesis System

Festival, developed mainly for use on Linux systems, offers a general framework for building speech synthesis systems. It supports multiple languages and voices, making it a highly versatile tool. Its core engine is often used as a text-to-speech engine in other apps.

3. Mozilla TTS

This is an open-source project by Mozilla which provides high-quality TTS models and a TTS API for real-time text to speech conversion. It is highly customizable and supports multiple languages.

4. ESPnet

This is a speech processing toolkit that includes a text to speech functionality. It employs deep learning technologies to generate human-like speech.

5. MaryTTS

MaryTTS is a multilingual open-source TTS platform written in Java, known for its flexibility and extensibility. It allows the creation of new voices and languages by the user community.

The best AI voice generator: Speechify Voiceover Studio

While open source AI voice generators are helpful AI tools, they are often not as robust or customizable as proprietary AI voiceover tools like Speechify Voiceover Studio. This platform allows users to create custom voices with the help of over 120 natural-sounding base voices to choose from, which are available in more than 20 different languages and accents. From there, you can customize the AI voices to sound exactly like how you want for all of your voiceover needs. Enjoy additional features like 100 hours of voice generation per year, unlimited downloads and uploads, fast audio editing and processing, thousands of licensed soundtracks, and 24/7 customer support.

Use Speechify Voiceover Studio for your next voiceover projects.