The Northeastern University in Boston, USA and the company VocaliD have launched a centre which will work on preserving and recreating people's voices using artificial intelligence (AI). The centre hopes that the technology it develops will allow people to still sound like themselves even when they are no longer to speak themselves directly. Participants in the project are asked to record two to three hours of speech which are then used by the researcher to build an AI-generated voice engine that sounds like them. The digital voice is installed on an application where users can type what they want to say and the app produces the sentences replicating the user's voice. Researchers say that the technology is improving rapidly and work is being carried out on issues such as changing the intonation of the voice, giving users more choice when it comes to how phrases are expressed, or ageing an individual's voice.

A pioneering centre aimed at preserving and re-creating people's voices using artificial intelligence has opened in the US, with researchers hoping it will change the lives of people who face losing their ability to speak. Researchers say the venture – a joint effort between Northeastern University in Boston and the company VocaliD – could play an important role in maintaining a sense of identity among those with conditions ranging from throat cancer to motor neurone disease, by offering them the chance to sound like themselves even after self-generated speech has become impossible. Thought to be the first of its kind, the centre's lead researcher is Prof Rupal Patel, the founder and chief executive of VocaliD. While Patel said the company already offered individuals the option to record their voices in their own homes, in reality, many people either lack equipment for high-quality recordings or make recordings with background noise. Patel said there was also a need to offer greater support to those who require such services and make sure patients were aware they were available in plenty of time.