{"id":84805,"date":"2023-12-06T00:36:22","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T00:36:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happylifestyleinc.com\/?p=84805"},"modified":"2023-12-06T00:36:22","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T00:36:22","slug":"its-an-artificial-life-jimmy-stewart-can-now-read-you-a-bedtime-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happylifestyleinc.com\/lifestyle\/its-an-artificial-life-jimmy-stewart-can-now-read-you-a-bedtime-story\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s an artificial life: Jimmy Stewart can now read you a bedtime story"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You can\u2019t get to sleep. You\u2019re tossing and turning. You want someone to read you a nice, wholesome bedtime story. And you want that someone to be actor Jimmy Stewart.<\/p>\n

The sleep and meditation app Calm on Tuesday released a new story for premium users told by Stewart, the beloved actor who starred in It\u2019s a Wonderful Life<\/em>. But the voice in their ear lulling them to sleep is not from Stewart, who died in 1997. It is a version of his signature drawl generated by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jimmy Stewart died in 1997.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, hello. I\u2019m James Stewart, but, well, you can call me Jimmy. Tonight I\u2019m going to tell you a story,\u201d the clone of Stewart\u2019s voice begins, telling listeners to make themselves \u201cnice and comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a heartwarming story of love, of loss, of hope and of joy,\u201d the voice continues. \u201cBut most of all, it\u2019s a wonderful sleep story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The app is known for its Sleep Stories \u2014 tales read by celebrities including Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey and Harry Styles to help users drift off to sleep. But for its Stewart story, it enlisted the help of Respeecher, a company based in Ukraine that uses AI technology to produce synthetic speech and clone voices.<\/p>\n

The story, written by Calm\u2019s creative team, is the first of its celebrity narrations to use an AI-generated voice, a spokesperson for the app said, adding that the company collaborated closely with the actor\u2019s estate on the project. \u201cStewart is one of the most beloved actors in history, with a voice that is heartwarming to many,\u201d the spokesperson said in an email.<\/p>\n

Respeecher said that CMG Worldwide, the company that manages Stewart\u2019s licensing, approved the project. CMG said in a statement: \u201cThe ability to replicate and integrate the unique voices of artists into contemporary works introduces a dynamic fusion of tradition and innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similar projects might be on the way, the company added, saying it wanted to \u201cbring many of the icons that we represent to a whole new generation of admirers,\u201d according to Tina Xavie, its chief marketing officer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis technology not only allows for the continuation of the artistic contributions of those who have passed away but also provides living artists with new and groundbreaking avenues for expression,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

To revive Stewart\u2019s voice, Respeecher fed recordings of the actor into its system to train it to recognise the voice. It then combined it with that of a voice actor who read the new story, said Alex Serdiuk, CEO and co-founder of Respeecher, in a video interview from Kyiv, Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe voice is iconic. It\u2019s very recognisable, he said, adding that it tied in well with Christmas. \u201cIt\u2019s just a cool story and it contributes a lot to mental health awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n

The increased use of AI to re-create the likenesses or voices of public figures in film, television and other content has become a contentious issue. Meta, for example, has introduced AI-powered characters based on celebrities such as rapper Snoop Dogg and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady that it will soon weave through its products.<\/p>\n

Critics have raised questions over the ethics and regulation of the practice. The use of AI by studios and entertainment companies was among the concerns at the centre of strikes this year by Hollywood writers and actors.<\/p>\n

Recently, actor Tom Hanks and news anchor Gayle King warned their followers on social media that their likenesses had been used in unauthorised advertisements. Cybersecurity experts have also cautioned that technology like \u201cvoice deepfakes\u201d could help scammers steal from people or businesses or commit other crimes.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jimmy Stewart starred with Kim Novak in Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s 1958 film Vertigo.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n

Stewart\u2019s family consented to the Calm project, according to Variety<\/em>, which earlier reported the story.<\/p>\n

Respeecher, founded in 2018, has synthesised voices for 150 projects, including football coach Vince Lombardi for a video at a Super Bowl. It is currently working with Warner Music France, it said, on an \u201canimated biopic\u201d of French artist Edith Piaf, who died in 1963, that will use AI to generate her likeness and voice. Its technology can also produce voice overs for media that would otherwise be laborious for actors to record, or convert recordings to other languages using the original actor\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

The company has said that it does not allow its technology to be used for \u201cdeceptive uses,\u201d including uses that would impinge on a subject\u2019s privacy and ability to find work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn practice, this means we will never use the voice of a private person or an actor without permission,\u201d the site says, but adds that the company would allow \u201cnondeceptive uses\u201d of historical figures and politicians.<\/p>\n

Serdiuk said the company was aware of the concerns around the voice technology. They had introduced it with ethics policies that have only become stricter, he said, around gaining consent to use any intellectual property. \u201cWe are not letting anyone using our technology or tools to introduce a voice that they have no rights to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that he was planning to listen to the Stewart story later that night before bed.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in The New York Times<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger. <\/i><\/b>Get it delivered every Friday<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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