AI Helps Woman Regain Voice after Brain Surgery
2024-05-17
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1Lots of people are concerned about the ability that artificial intelligence (AI) has to copy their voices.
2When AI is used to make false recordings of things that a person never said, it is called a "deepfake."
3However, more and more stories are coming out about how AI is helping people who can no longer speak, regain a version of their voice.
4For example, country music singer Randy Travis recently released his first new song in over 10 years with the help of AI technology.
5Travis suffered a stroke and can no longer sing.
6The technology is also able to help people like 21-year-old Alexis "Lexi" Bogan from the eastern state of Rhode Island.
7Bogan used to love singing along with songs by her favorite musicians like Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan.
8She was a singer in her school music group as a teenager.
9If she was spending time with friends, she would be the loudest during a discussion about politics over a large fire in the back yard.
10But a surprise diagnosis changed all that.
11Last August, doctors removed a tumor from the back of her brain.
12The surgery was a success. But after doctors removed a tube used to help her breathe during the operation, Bogan had trouble speaking.
13Bogan is working with therapists and has regained some ability to speak, but there is no sign that she will ever be able to speak like she used to.
14Last month, Bogan got her voice back in a way.
15Experts created a tool for her using AI.
16She uses a text-to-voice app on her phone so she can now do things like order her favorite coffee at Starbucks.
17She uses it by writing words in her phone and holding it up at the coffee shop so servers can hear her.
18The app uses OpenAI's voice tool. Programmers trained the app using a 15-second sound recording from a cooking video Bogan made as a teenager.
19Most of the video had cooking sounds, so that is all they could use.
20But it was enough.
21Bogan's doctors say Lexi's case shows why AI can be helpful.
22Dr. Rohaid Ali is training in neuroscience at Brown University's medical school.
23He called Bogan "a trailblazer."
24He said the technology can help millions of people with brain injuries, throat cancer or other diseases that prevent a person from speaking.
25Fatima Mirza is another doctor working on the project. She said there is a risk that AI technology can be used by bad people, "but we can't forget about the patient and the social good."
26She said the technology permits Bogan to have something close to her true voice.
27The doctors had already worked with OpenAI on an earlier project.
28When they found out the company wanted to test their voice generator to help patients, they thought of Bogan.
29Bogan said "it's almost like a part of my identity was taken when I lost my voice."
30She said she was starting to forget what her real voice sounded like before she started using the app.
31The app makes mistakes, but people who know Bogan do not seem worried. They are just happy to hear Lexi's voice.
32"I get so emotional every time I hear her voice," said her mother, Pamela, with tears in her eyes.
33Bogan said it helped "boost my confidence to somewhat where it was before all this happened."
34She said she uses the app about 40 times per day.
35The doctors are working with other patients to gather voice samples and they hope to bring the app to other hospitals around the world.
36But right now, the app, called Voice Engine, is not publicly available.
37Other AI companies, however, are making their voice-cloning services available to entertainment companies or other organizations.
38Jeff Harris is OpenAI's project leader for Voice Engine.
39He said the company is "very limited in who we're giving the technology to" because they want to be sure everyone whose voice is being used has given permission.
40Bogan believes the technology will progress over time so that when she is older, she does not have to depend on the voice she had as a teenager.
41She is excited that she is contributing to a change that will help people who are currently using robotic-sounding voices.
42For now, "even though I don't have my voice fully back, I have something that helps me find my voice again," she said.
43I'm Dan Friedell.
1Lots of people are concerned about the ability that artificial intelligence (AI) has to copy their voices. When AI is used to make false recordings of things that a person never said, it is called a "deepfake." 2However, more and more stories are coming out about how AI is helping people who can no longer speak, regain a version of their voice. 3For example, country music singer Randy Travis recently released his first new song in over 10 years with the help of AI technology. Travis suffered a stroke and can no longer sing. 4The technology is also able to help people like 21-year-old Alexis "Lexi" Bogan from the eastern state of Rhode Island. 5Bogan used to love singing along with songs by her favorite musicians like Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan. She was a singer in her school music group as a teenager. If she was spending time with friends, she would be the loudest during a discussion about politics over a large fire in the back yard. 6But a surprise diagnosis changed all that. Last August, doctors removed a tumor from the back of her brain. The surgery was a success. But after doctors removed a tube used to help her breathe during the operation, Bogan had trouble speaking. 7Bogan is working with therapists and has regained some ability to speak, but there is no sign that she will ever be able to speak like she used to. 8Last month, Bogan got her voice back in a way. Experts created a tool for her using AI. She uses a text-to-voice app on her phone so she can now do things like order her favorite coffee at Starbucks. She uses it by writing words in her phone and holding it up at the coffee shop so servers can hear her. 9The app uses OpenAI's voice tool. Programmers trained the app using a 15-second sound recording from a cooking video Bogan made as a teenager. Most of the video had cooking sounds, so that is all they could use. But it was enough. 10Bogan's doctors say Lexi's case shows why AI can be helpful. 11Dr. Rohaid Ali is training in neuroscience at Brown University's medical school. He called Bogan "a trailblazer." He said the technology can help millions of people with brain injuries, throat cancer or other diseases that prevent a person from speaking. 12Fatima Mirza is another doctor working on the project. She said there is a risk that AI technology can be used by bad people, "but we can't forget about the patient and the social good." She said the technology permits Bogan to have something close to her true voice. 13The doctors had already worked with OpenAI on an earlier project. When they found out the company wanted to test their voice generator to help patients, they thought of Bogan. 14Bogan said "it's almost like a part of my identity was taken when I lost my voice." 15She said she was starting to forget what her real voice sounded like before she started using the app. 16The app makes mistakes, but people who know Bogan do not seem worried. They are just happy to hear Lexi's voice. 17"I get so emotional every time I hear her voice," said her mother, Pamela, with tears in her eyes. 18Bogan said it helped "boost my confidence to somewhat where it was before all this happened." She said she uses the app about 40 times per day. 19The doctors are working with other patients to gather voice samples and they hope to bring the app to other hospitals around the world. But right now, the app, called Voice Engine, is not publicly available. Other AI companies, however, are making their voice-cloning services available to entertainment companies or other organizations. 20Jeff Harris is OpenAI's project leader for Voice Engine. He said the company is "very limited in who we're giving the technology to" because they want to be sure everyone whose voice is being used has given permission. 21Bogan believes the technology will progress over time so that when she is older, she does not have to depend on the voice she had as a teenager. She is excited that she is contributing to a change that will help people who are currently using robotic-sounding voices. 22For now, "even though I don't have my voice fully back, I have something that helps me find my voice again," she said. 23I'm Dan Friedell. 24Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by The Associated Press. 25_______________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27stroke -n. a serious medical problem in which a blood vessel gets blocked 28diagnosis -n. a medical opinion that explains the cause of an illness or disease 29tumor -n. an abnormal growth of tissue 30therapist -n. a person who helps a patient with a medical or physical problem with treatments that do not usually use medicine 31app -n. a computer program that has one main purpose 32trailblazer -n. a person who is among the first to do something 33generator -n. something that creates things automatically like numbers, or electrical current 34boost -v. to lift or raise up 35confidence -n. a feeling of being sure of and believing in oneself 36cloning -n. (technology) using software and computer commands to create copies of digital things 37We want to hear from you. Would you be sure to record your voice today just in case you needed the voice technology someday?