The herd mentality in voiceover today is all about figuring out how to incorporate AI, voice models, and voice clones into your business plan. Who will be the first movers to get ahead of the AI voiceover trend and capitalize on it? Who will be harmed? Not me. On both counts.
I’ve spent my career trying to see where the herd is moving and then either getting ahead of the next move (or, more often,) moving in the opposite direction. This philosophy has helped me build a voiceover business and voiceover-adjacent businesses that have thrived for almost three decades. It has also served me well in financial planning and investing. Scared of the markets right now? I’m not. Warren Buffett once said it is wise for investors to be “fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” I’m buying market dips right now in multiple sectors while most people are selling. If the market crashes, guess what? I’ll still be a buyer. In the long run, the growth will be there.
AI Voiceover vs. Authentic Human Voices
Recently, I encountered a fascinating Twitter thread (https://bit.ly/3qxAe9f) by content marketing writer Rob Lennon, who has self-published 45 titles on Amazon and is highly familiar with the freelance writing industry. The freelance writing industry has similarities to voiceover, though it is not directly analogous. However, Lennon’s article struck a chord. Lennon predicts that “Entry-level freelance writing jobs will be decimated w/in five years and replaced by AI wranglers.” This is similar to my prediction of the imminent demise of entry-level voiceover jobs at the hands of AI voice models. The sub-$100 voiceover space will likely cease to exist for human voice actors in the next five years. The $100-$250 space could see up to 80% of jobs replaced by robots. And the $250-$500 space may see as many as 20% of jobs lost to AI. Above the $500 line, where quality and nuance trump price, there is likely to be minor, if any, erosion.
Lennon posits that “A chain reaction occurs. Fewer entry-level business writing jobs are available. Years go by. Fewer writers getting better at their craft. Fewer writers writing about writing. Thus begins the gap.” Voiceover will likely experience a similar phenomenon. Fewer low-end jobs available. Fewer new entrants into the industry. Eventually, buyers are left with a stark choice between human, or robot, as the available talent pool thins over time.
A market will emerge for what Lennon calls “strict human verification.” High-end buyers will demand authentic human voices. Consumers will demand them. And the most discriminating may choose to work only with those voice actors who can guarantee that their voice does not exist in an artificial form.
If you are licensing your voice in AI form now, it will be very challenging to assure future buyers that someone else won’t be able to use a model of your voice to recreate the deliverable you provide them. It may dilute your value in a market that starts to prize verifiably human voices. We don’t know what the future looks like. This is one of many possible outcomes. But one thing I’ve yet to see from AI modelers is a use case for how voice actors make more than pizza money from voice clones. Show me how we get to 5-figures monthly with an AI model, and you’ll have my interest. Until then? Going forward, J. Michael Collins voiceovers are Verified Human, and I’ll proudly display a badge declaring the same on my homepage in the near future.
Of course, I’m also buying stock in Veritone. So we’ll see.
*This blog is the writer’s personal opinion only and does not constitute financial advice.
Verified human here!! Glad to see I’m not alone in this desire to keep ME…well: only reproducible by yours truly!
I think this is a savvy idea, and I think it’s comically brilliant – sure to bring a smile to the face of the viewer…especially my wife, who knows quite well that I am actually an alien. But I think it’s calculated and smart, reassuring and forward-thinking. I don’t do directed sessions with my camera on, partially because I like to record naked. KIDDING. The real reason is because it’s intimidating, and that’s why I chose voiceovers instead of live acting…I can act without people watching me. But with that caveat, one of the things I really like to say at the beginnings of directed sessions with new clients is to assure them that I am very much human and not AI. They enjoy that little interlude before we begin. I think having a badge on my site sends the same message. I’d love to see what you come up with! Maybe we could all have the same badge. I’m just curious who will be doing the verifying! Please don’t choose my wife.
I really enjoyed your point of view in this post. When everybody is saying that AI is the future, you bring this completely opposite idea and I love it!
Interesting. I agree with you. At first I was on-board because optimally as a business woman I see the value of the AI model. I also pictured my voice showing up in an x-rated film as an AI voice which had me running for the hills. For my foreseeable future I will also be stamping myself as “verified human”
Me too.
Truth and being genuine can is as righteous as the necessary trend for shopping local.
Never touched an audition for an AI gig, never will.
There is a reason you see so many American made vehicles in Detroit.
And you can’t beat the taste of the farmer’s sweet corn from his roadside stand.
There is no logic in voicing AI. The quick buck you make from it today will be the biggest “I told you so” ever.
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Great article MJC It does make us VO artists think twice about the future. Everything must change.
How we can support each other through trying times? Your words always keeps us positive and inspired
not to lose hope or give up!
Thank You MJC
Wouldn’t it be nice to get any $500 voiceover jobs, or $250 voiceover jobs. Honestly, JMC Demos did a fantastic job on all my demos. It’s not the demos fault, or my agent, or the production company…it’s most likely that I didn’t put any energy into marketing on my own or maybe it’s my lunch lady rasp.
I’m giving up the ghost – that I really haven’t been chasing. All that said, I have never submitted to Fiver or Voiceover dot com and absolutely did not go anywhere even close to the AI route. Some say I’m foolish. I don’t believe that.
I have met the most wonderful people in the voiceover community, attended some fantastic conferences and had several coaching sessions by the best in the business. Priceless.
No regrets at all for jumping into voiceover. Anyone who is considering moving forward remember these two things. 1.Where you put your energy is what will show up. 2. Market yourself…no one is going to find you if you don’t. Well, actually three things. 3. Make sure you get coaching and a great demo. Geez, that’s four things. I’ll stop there.
All the best,
Theresa Dodge
Moving On…but when my agent requests a self-tape, you can bet your Sweet Bippy I’ll jump back and hit the record button. You never know, right? That big gig could be right around the corner.
As always, very thoughtful and provocative. Thanks.
I’m “verifiably” human. Boy am I human. (Wanna see my warts?)
But since “verified”” is not a word I’d normally use because it sounds so “erudite” I’d probably use “real”. Jus’ sayin’.
No, really.