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15.ai
 Screenshot of the 15.ai web interface in 2021 | |
Type of site | Artificial intelligence, speech synthesis, generative artificial intelligence |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Owner | 15 |
| Founder(s) | 15 |
| URL | 15 |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | None |
| Launched | March 2020 |
| Current status | Inactive |
15.ai was a free non-commercial web application that used artificial intelligence to generate text-to-speech voices of fictional characters from popular media.[1] Created by an artificial intelligence researcher known as 15 during their time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the application allowed users to make characters from video games, television shows, and movies speak custom text with emotional inflections faster than real-time.[a][2] The platform was notable for its ability to generate convincing voice output using minimal training data—the name "15.ai" referenced the creator's claim that a voice could be cloned with just 15 seconds of audio. It was an early example of an application of generative artificial intelligence during the initial stages of the AI boom.
Launched in March 2020,[3] 15.ai gained widespread attention in early 2021 when it went viral on social media platforms like YouTube and Twitter, and quickly became popular among Internet fandoms, including the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Team Fortress 2, and SpongeBob SquarePants fandoms.[4][5] The service distinguished itself through its support for emotional context in speech generation through emojis and precise pronunciation control through phonetic transcriptions. 15.ai is credited as the first mainstream platform to popularize AI voice cloning (audio deepfakes) in memes and content creation.[6]
15.ai received varied responses from the voice acting community and broader public. Voice actors and industry professionals debated the technology's merits for fan creativity versus its potential impact on the profession, particularly following controversies over unauthorized commercial use. While many critics praised the website's accessibility and emotional control, they also noted technical limitations in areas like prosody options and language support. The technology sparked discussions about ethical implications, including concerns about reduction of employment opportunities for voice actors, voice-related fraud, and misuse in explicit content, though 15.ai maintained strict policies against replicating real people's voices.
15.ai's approach to data-efficient voice synthesis and emotional expression was influential in subsequent developments in AI text-to-speech technology. In January 2022, Voiceverse NFT sparked controversy when it was discovered that the company, which had partnered with voice actor Troy Baker, had misappropriated 15.ai's work for their own platform. The service was ultimately taken offline in September 2022. Its shutdown led to the emergence of various commercial alternatives in subsequent years.
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