[CoeFont]AI voice Masako Nozawa speaks English as well! Global Strategy of Aoni Productions, which includes popular voice talents such as Mr. Banjo Ginga.【Trends】
A joint project has been announced to convert attractive voice data of voice talents belonging to Aoni Productions, one of the largest voice acting agencies, into multiple languages, including English and Chinese, using CoeFont’s AI voice technology.
Samples of English and Chinese versions of voice actress Masako Nozawa’s multilingual AI voice can be viewed in this video!
They clearly stated that they will not provide services for anything related to the realm of “acting.”
(Quote) Aoni Productions and CoeFont form a global strategic partnership utilizing AI | Press Release by CoeFont Inc. (prtimes.jp)
There is one thing clearly stated in the announcement. CoeFont will not provide services for animation, dubbing of foreign-language movies, or anything else related to the “acting” domain.
We will only create multilingual AI voices excluding the “acting” domain, and appropriately segregate the AI voice technology and the voice actor’s area of activity.
First, the two companies will begin collaboration in the area of global development. The knowledge gained through the collaboration will not remain within the two companies, but will contribute to the establishment of an appropriate relationship between AI voice technology and performers in Japan and abroad.
Aoni Productions, Japan’s first and largest entertainment agency specializing in voice actors, is making a full-scale entry into AI voice.
It was announced that Aoni Productions, together with CoeFont, has entered into a partnership to develop a global strategy to utilize AI voice technology.
The clearly stated policy of not providing services to those involved in the area of “acting” is also a very important point in the realization of this partnership.
With the rapid development of AI technology, speech synthesis technology is also making great strides, but at the same time, this technological advancement also poses various challenges for voice actors, actors, and other people whose profession is voice.
The use of voice data by voice actors for text-to-speech technology has been controversial in the voice acting industry.
However, the announcement of this partnership is a great step in the right direction. Aoni Productions was established in 1969 as Japan’s first entertainment agency specializing in voice acting, and is the largest agency in the industry.
We feel that this move is quite an innovative step forward as it shows new possibilities for the use of AI technology in the voice acting industry.
About the partnership between Aoni✕ CoeFont
As mentioned above, as attention to generative AI grows, the question of how AI should face voice actors, who possess unique and inimitable characteristics, is becoming more and more important. Incidents of voice actors and actors’ voices being improperly learned, both in Japan and abroad, are forcing the need for rule-making.
Against this backdrop, Aoni Productions, a leading voice actor industry company, and CoeFont, an AI voice platform service provider, are not only focusing on the threat of AI, but also on the need to take the first step to “enhance the potential of voices” for those with attractive voices while properly protecting the rights of performers. CoeFont has decided to collaborate with CoeFont to take the first step to “ enhance the voice potential “ of those with attractive voices while properly protecting the rights of performers.
Capturing Overseas Markets through Multilingualism
The main goal of this initiative is to develop the appeal of Japanese voice actors in the global market.
Specifically, the attractive voice data of voice actors belonging to Aoni Productions will be used with CoeFont’s AI voice technology to create AI voices in multiple languages, including English and Chinese, for the following applications.
In the first phase, 10 voice actors from Aoni Productions will participate in this project. The specific names that have been mentioned are Masako Nozawa and Banjo Ginga, who are legendary voice actors at this point. This initiative could be a pioneering example of the use of AI technology in the voice acting industry. The direction in which AI technology is being used to develop new markets while properly managing voice rights is an initiative that will influence and serve as a guideline for other voice actor agencies and related companies. Kenjiro Takeuchi, President and Representative Director of Aoni Productions commented First of all, it is important to think of AI as a tool to support humans and as a technology used to expand our possibilities. We want all people to understand that living characters continue to be created as human voice actors bring them to life. We do not see AI voice technology as an enemy, but as a technology to deliver the charm of the voice to those who support us around the world. We have made the decision to collaborate with CoeFont Inc. with the aim of utilizing the appeal of the voice, which is not the domain of the voice actor’s performance, while firmly protecting the performer’s rights. Quote from CoeFont : narration, game, video production, audiobook production CoeFont’s main service is the AI-based voice synthesis platform “CoeFont. ”CoeFont Voice Changer” is a service that allows you to convert your own voice into your favorite voice in real time. Talking Hiroyuki Maker,” a product of CoeFont, has become a hot topic on SNS such as X, and is also being used in short videos on YouTube. By downloading the Windows desktop version of the “CoeFont Voice Changer” application, you can change your voice to any voice you like when you are playing online games with your friends as well as live-streaming. The advantages and disadvantages of AI voice technology are considered to be as follows, just as an example. Advantages Disadvantages CoeFont services are now available in all countries and regions. We are always considering both advantages and disadvantages of AI voice technology, but I think it is a wonderful technology that will allow Japanese voice actors’ voices to reach the world.
Masako Nozawa and Banjo Ginga are participating in this project!
Aoni Productions is home to many famous voice actors. We look forward to seeing more names from Aoni Productions in the future!
Impact on the Voice Actor Industry
About CoeFont Inc.
CoeFont was established in 2020 and is registered as a Tokyo Tech Venture. CoeFont is currently conducting research on AI voice, with the concept of “A good voice, anytime, easily, and for as long as you want to use it. CoeFont” is an AI voice platform that can be used by anyone at low cost.AI voice platform “CoeFont“
It is an AI voice service that anyone can easily use by converting “voices” into expressive “fonts” using the latest AI technologies, including “Text to Speech,” which offers about 10,000 AI voices, “Voice Changer,” which converts voices in real time, and “Text to Speech,” which converts voices of native speakers of Japanese and other languages. Changer” for real-time voice conversion, and “Cross-Lingual TTS” that converts AI voices recorded and created in native languages such as Japanese to AI voices in multiple languages including English and Chinese without changing the voice quality.What’s more, you can even create your own AI voice!
CoeFont Voice Changer
In the beta version, you can download the desktop version of the application and use the voices of three of CoeFont’s original characters for free.
Supported voices will be expanded in the future.Talking Hiroyuki Maker
This is a generator service that allows you to easily create video content that looks like Hiroyuki is speaking by entering your favorite sentences and other information from a dedicated website. You can freely input your name, the message you want to convey, and other sentences to generate a video.Tomoyuki Morikawa’s voice has already entered CoeFont.
This application allows you to use more than 10 different character voices, including handsome, cute, and calm voices, free of charge. In addition, if you subscribe to the basic plan, you can use the voice of Tomoyuki Morikawa, one of Japan’s leading voice actors, as the voice of “Kanel,” CoeFont’s official character.
Merits and Demerits of AI Voice
AI voice technology can significantly reduce the time required to produce voice content. This is especially useful when large amounts of text need to be converted to speech.
Production costs can be reduced for small projects or content that requires frequent updates.
AI voice technology makes it easy to produce content in multiple languages using the same voice. This facilitates global expansion.
AI voice never gets fatigued, making it suitable for services that require constant operation (e.g., customer support).
AI technology can be used to clone a voice, which can be used in scams to impersonate an acquaintance or family member of the victim and demand money.
AI-generated voice changer voices have been used to spoof, obtain confidential information, or give unauthorized instructions.
The voices of celebrities and politicians are mimicked to create fake statements and statements to spread on social media to manipulate public opinion and damage reputations.
Acts of copyright and portrait right infringement are also possible, such as creating works by imitating the voices of current voice actors and releasing them without permission.Global Expansion of Japanese Voice Actors andFuture Prospects
CoeFont aims to further develop AI voice technology and its ethical and effective use. This partnership with Aoni Productions has attracted a great deal of attention as it demonstrates the new possibilities of AI voice technology in the entertainment industry. The world will be connected through the multilingualization of AI voice technology!
Synthesized voices can be transmitted to the world without depending on the language skills of the voice actor.
I can’t help but be reminded of the story of “The Tower of Babel.” God may be in for a surprise.
Multilingualization through AI speech synthesis technology is what we should continue to be most concerned about now. We look forward to seeing how it will develop on a global scale.
