Speech-imitating algorithm can steal your voice in 60 seconds

A Canadian start-up has developed a voice imitation programme capable of mimicking a person's voice after just a minute of listening to them speak. Developed by AI firm Lyrebird, the algorithm uses machine learning to synthesise speech based on audio samples and is even able to replicate emotion. Lyrebird's algorithm is capable of generating new voices from scratch as well as replicating those of others. After hearing an audio clip, the programme determines the defining feature or "key" to the person's voice and then uses this to generate words from scratch. It even varies the intonations it applies so that a repeated sentence doesn't sound the same way twice.