Looking ahead: Taking an ethics-driven approach to AI development

What a week it has been for Voices! We've been busy at the annual Project Voice Conference where we made some fantastic connections and engaged in a lot of great, thought-provoking conversations. During this conference, I’ve had the honor of joining the Conversational AI Leadership Council by signing the Ethics & Integrity Charter for LLM-Based AI at the conference.

There’s been a lot of talk about AI over the past few months. With new technology comes curiosity, excitement, speculation, and naturally, fear. And I'm sure most of us can agree: when technology knows no bounds, it can be pretty scary. The Ethics & Integrity Charter for LLM-Based AI outlines a vision for the future of conversational AI, guided by six pillars: transparency, inclusivity, accountability, sustainability, privacy, and compliance. 

I’ve always believed it’s important to take a stance while leading the path of innovation.That's why I’m proud to have Voices represented on the Conversational AI Leadership Council, and sign the Ethics & Integrity Charter for LLM-Based AI. The charter aligns with our vision for the future of AI: one that respects the privacy of its users, advocates for the development of inclusive AI, holds organizations and executives accountable, and promotes good use of this technology. 

Voices is a values driven company. Every decision we make–from the jobs we facilitate to the people we hire–are all guided by our values and our mission: to make the world a more positive and accessible place through the power of voice. 

We recently took a poll and found that over 40% of our clients have previously used an AI voice or TTS software, and just over 60% would consider using one in the future. It’s very clear there’s a lot of interest in this technology. Rather than resist the shifts and trends in this industry, I’d prefer to embrace change and pave the way forward.

What that exactly looks like for the voice over industry, we’re still figuring out. From my perspective, ethical development of AI voices includes consent, credit, and compensation for voice actors that help build this technology. While there are many other nuances, technical, and logistical aspects to figure out, I’m confident that by abiding by these guiding principles, we will end up on the right track.

Without a doubt, AI has immense potential to bring about positive change in the world, and provide tremendous growth opportunities for many industries, audio and voice over included. That's why the signing of this charter is so significant, and I'm pleased to see so much support and unity from the hundreds of other executives, media, and politicians who have signed. It's reassuring to know that we share common principles to guide our path forward, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for us.