At the start of 2021, ElevenLabs, a startup founded by former Google and Palantir employees, announced a $2 million funding round. This funding round was to help the development of their audio deepfake services, which can clone voices and create realistic audio deepfakes. In the wake of the funding, Eleven Labs has seen a surge in users, and for the wrong reasons. 4chan users have begun to actively use the ElevenLabs voice synthesis platform to clone celebrity voices and read audio from memes and erotica.
This has caused an uproar in the industry, as Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology is being used for unethical purposes. This has also raised questions about the security of the platform and the company’s ability to stop the misuse of its services. Eleven Labs has since taken steps to ensure that its platform is secure, and that its services are not abused by users.
The use of Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology has implications beyond the unethical uses of the platform. The use of voice cloning technology could be used to create scams and frauds. Tools such as Eleven Labs’ text-to-speech AI could be used to abet such scams. It is important that Eleven Labs takes steps to ensure that their technology is secure and not used for such purposes.
In addition to its implications for fraud and scams, the use of Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology also has implications for national security. The use of Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology to clone the voices of prominent figures such as President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could be used to create fake audio recordings. Such recordings could be used to spread fake news, or to create international incidents. It is important that Eleven Labs takes steps to ensure that their technology is not used in such ways.
The use of Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology also has implications for culture. AI Dagoth Ur is an AI Voice meme using the Elder Scrolls character Dagoth Ur’s voice with Eleven Labs’ text-to-speech AI. Videos tend to feature the character spouting various phrases, some of which are inappropriate or offensive. It is important that Eleven Labs takes steps to prevent such videos from being created, and that they take steps to ensure that their technology is used responsibly.
Eleven Labs’ voice cloning technology has the potential to be used for great things, but it must be used responsibly. It is important that Eleven Labs takes steps to ensure that their technology is secure and not used for malicious or unethical purposes. It is also important that Eleven Labs takes steps to ensure that their technology is used in a responsible manner, and that the culture surrounding the use of the technology is respectful and inclusive.
