You can’t sleep. You toss and turn. You want someone to read you a nice, wholesome bedtime story. And you want that someone to be actor Jimmy Stewart.
The sleep and meditation app Calm released a new story for premium users on Tuesday narrated by Mr. Stewart, the beloved actor who starred in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” But the voice in their ear that puts them to sleep is not that of Mr. Stewart, who died in 1997. It is a version of his characteristic drawl generated by artificial intelligence.
“Well, hello. My name is James Stewart, but hey, you can call me Jimmy. Tonight I’m going to tell you a story,” the clone of Mr. Stewart’s voice begins, telling listeners to make themselves “nice and comfortable.”
“It’s a heartwarming story of love, loss, hope and joy,” the voice continues. “But above all it’s a wonderful sleep story.”
The app is known for its “Sleep Stories” – stories read by celebrities such as Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey and Harry Styles to help users fall asleep. But for her story on Stewart, she called on Answering machinea Ukraine-based company that uses AI technology to produce synthetic speech and clone voices.
The story, written by Calm’s creative team, is the first of its celebrity narrations to use an AI-generated voice, a spokesperson for the app said Tuesday, adding that the company collaborated closely with the actor’s succession on the project. “Stewart is one of the most beloved actors in history, with a voice that warms the hearts of many,” the congressman said in an email.
Respeecher said CMG Worldwide, the company that handles Mr. Stewart’s licensing, had approved the project. CMG said in a statement: “The ability to reproduce and integrate artists’ unique voices into contemporary works introduces a dynamic fusion of tradition and innovation. »
Similar projects could be in the works, the company added, saying it wants to “bring many of the icons we represent to a whole new generation of fans,” according to Tina Xavier, its marketing director.
“This technology not only perpetuates the artistic contributions of those who have passed, but also provides living artists with revolutionary new avenues of expression,” the release said.
To revive Mr. Stewart’s voice, Respecer fed recordings of the actor into its system to train it to recognize the voice. He then combined it with that of a voice actor who was reading the new story, Alex Serdiuk, chief executive and co-founder of Respecer, said in a video interview from kyiv.
“The voice is iconic. It’s very recognizable, he said, adding that it fits well with Christmas. “It’s just a cool story and it does a lot to raise awareness about mental health.”
The growing use of AI to recreate the likenesses or voices of public figures in film, television and other content has become a controversial issue. Meta, for example, has introduced AI-powered characters based on celebrities like rapper Snoop Dogg and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady that will soon be integrated into its products.
Critics have raised questions about the ethics and regulation of the practice. The use of AI by studios and entertainment companies was among the concerns at the center of this year’s strikes by Hollywood writers and actors.
Last month, actor Tom Hanks and presenter Gayle King warned their social media followers that their likenesses had been used in unauthorized advertisements. Cybersecurity experts have also warned that technologies such as “voice impersonations” could help fraudsters steal from people or businesses or commit other crimes.
Mr. Stewart’s family consented to Project Calm, according to Varietywho reported the story earlier.
Answering machinefounded in 2018, synthesized the voices of 150 projects, including football coach Vince Lombardi for a video on at the Super Bowl. He is currently working with Warner Music France, he said, on an “animated biopic” of French artist Edith Piaf, who died in 1963, which will use AI to generate her image and voice. Its technology can also produce voiceovers for media that would otherwise be laborious for actors to record, or convert recordings into other languages using the original actor’s voice.
The company said it does not allow its technology to be used for “deceptive” purposes, including uses that would harm a subject’s privacy and ability to find work.
“In practice, this means that we will never use the voice of a private person or actor without permission,” the site says, but adds that the company would allow “non-misleading uses” of historical figures and politicians.
Mr. Serdiuk said the company was aware of concerns about voice technology. They had introduced it with ethics policies that became even stricter, he said, in terms of obtaining consent to use any intellectual property. “We don’t allow anyone to use our technology or our tools to introduce a voice that they have no rights to,” he said.
He added that he plans to listen to the Jimmy Stewart story later that night, before bed.
