Some actors, singers and celebs you recognize on sight. Then some have the voice that rises above the regular noise from Hollywood to Bollywood and beyond. Think of those trailers, those immortal intros and "end scene" moments when the tears flow... 

With the recent news that some voice experts and actors are considering licensing their voices for artificial intelligence-generated content for audiobooks and voice-overs on commercials and videos, where does the audience stand when it comes to knowing exactly what you are listening to? 

Should the listener feel conned if their favorite Freeman narration was generated, or if Di Caprio or DeNiro were not present at a studio recording that potentially has their name on it? 

Attenborough and DeGrasse Tyson are among the most famous documentary voices we will ever hear. Swift and Levine have spent hours in the studio just to tweak a second verse. Will their once unique tones now be created by AI in the future?

Curious about these developments, The Byteline reached out to Joe El Hage, a voiceover expert and self-made "audiopreneur," born and raised in the UAE. 

Here is how the interview went down:

‍1. Explain the current situation with voiceover professionals and AI-generated simulators.

AI has definitely disrupted the voiceover world. Although there is a lot of controversy in the industry, AI voices are an attractive option for businesses because they’re quick and cost-effective. 

However, content that requires a voiceover generally aims to connect with people and build trust with a brand’s audience. Think about an emotional commercial or an energetic narration - an AI voice just doesn’t fulfill that connection.

I’ve been working as a voiceover artist and recording voiceover talent for over a decade, and while AI voice technology has come a long way, it still can’t fully match the depth, nuance, or flexibility that a trained voiceover artist brings to the table. 

AI voices can do a decent job at copying speech patterns or even trying to express emotion, but there’s always something missing. They might sound real to the untrained ear, but they lack the soul that pulls listeners in, and that’s why a lot of professional voiceover artists are receiving job requests to fix AI recordings.

That’s also why most clients only use AI as a placeholder—mainly to set the timing for their videos. When they’re ready for the final cut, they inevitably turn to professional human voice talent to bring their script to life with that extra layer of authenticity, energy and emotion that AI can’t provide.

‍2. Some voiceover talents are reportedly approving licensing for their voice to AI companies. Do you see a division between voiceover talent?

I do see a clear division within the voiceover community about this topic — some view it as evolution, while others see it as a threat.

Some voiceover artists see allowing their voice to be cloned and used in various projects as an opportunity to earn passive income.

On the other side, there are those who simply refuse to do it, worried about the negative impact on their craft — that requires years of training and practice — and the broader implications of AI replacing human talent. 

I completely understand why many are concerned about this shift and what the future holds. I firmly believe that, although AI brings many advantages, human creativity, connection and expression will always be an essential part of any business. People buy from people, after all. 

Regardless of where you stand, it's essential for voiceover artists to know their rights and ensure how and where their voice is being used.

‍3. How do we tell the difference between an AI voice and a professional voiceover talent? And does it matter to the listener if the voice is human or AI?

It's true that it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between an AI voice and professional voiceover talent, especially with the rate AI technology is advancing. 

However, AI still has a long way to go when it comes to subtle nuances in delivery, conveying emotion, and receiving feedback and direction. The latter is challenging for those of us working in audio production who need to seamlessly integrate the voiceover recording into the video or audio asset. 

During a live recording session, you can have a creative discussion with your voiceover talent and come up with different variations of the same line and riff off various styles and tones — you can't do this as effectively with AI. In general, this often requires extra time and effort and ultimately increases costs for the client.

Many listeners might not immediately pick up on these differences, however, but they often feel less connected to AI-generated voices once they engage with the content. I've seen the impact of this firsthand when clients ask me to replace their AI-generated voice-overs with a human voice because something just isn't right. 

Human voiceover actors also bring a level of spontaneity that AI can't replicate. Studies show that audiences prefer human voices for emotionally driven content because we instinctively recognize authenticity. 

For businesses, I firmly believe that the content you produce and share is a direct reflection of your brand. So, if you want to make a deeper, authentic connection with your audience, a human voice is key. 

4. Where do we stand on copyright of a voice vs AI impersonations?

There is definitely a gray area when it comes to copyrighting and AI voice usage. Traditional copyright laws protect human voice recordings, but AI voice cloning has introduced a whole new set of challenges — and headaches. 

When someone's voice is cloned without consent, it brings up legal and ethical issues that current legal frameworks aren’t equipped to handle.

As a voiceover professional, the thought of my voice being replicated and used without my permission is unsettling — and the voiceover community is making noise about it! Just the other day, I read that voice actors in India have raised concerns about the unauthorized use of their voices by AI. Many voice-over professionals feel that voice cloning without permission violates their intellectual property.

I believe that protecting human creativity and ensuring that AI tools are used ethically needs to be a top priority, so I’m hopeful that we’ll see positive developments in this area very soon.

‍5. Can we replace the human touch? 

I see AI as a tool to complement, not a replacement for human talent. I think this goes for most industries, not just the voiceover industry. 

I can see how it helps make processes more efficient and simplifies some tasks, but when it comes to delivering something that needs to resonate on a deeper level, human talent still reigns supreme.

I personally don’t believe AI will ever fully replicate what a human voice brings to a voiceover project.