Thanks to creative use of artificial intelligence, you can now listen to the voice of Art Bell doing an interview he never did. With just six minutes of training using a recording of the real Art Bell’s voice, a voice clone was created by an AI tool. Then, using ChatGPT, a script for the show was created. The voice clone read the script and the result is the simulated Art Bell show below. U7 Radio did it very well.
Art Bell Afterlife Interview
The U7 Radio web site shared this AI re-creation of the voice of Art Bell who passed away on April 13, 2018 at the age 72.
Should this sort of thing be done? Is it disrespectful, or a show of respect? Is it too creepy? The point was rightly made that the technology will only get better. The U7 team made a follow up which you can listen to here. It is also good, but at the end you can hear how the voice can get pretty weird at times, and they said they had to run it many times to get it even that good, so the technology is just really learning to walk.
Follow Up Show
I heard many of Art’s shows in real time when he was alive and have listened to many of the archived shows as well, perhaps most of them.
I had the honor of knowing someone who Art interviewed. My friend told me that there was very little preparation or instruction before the show. Art got my friend’s book, scheduled the interview, gave him the number to call for the show. He called in and the show went live, just like that.
There are so many other connections for me. For example, I know the recording engineer who recorded Chris Isaak for his, “I Wanna Fall In Love (Wicked Game)” song used in the broadcast.
I miss the Art Bell show, as many do. While knowing it is art-ificial (sorry), the AI Art Bell feels at times like having a long time friend visit again. That’s the point. It’s not quire right, but it sort of works. That is why I think it will continue to happen, and it will continue to improve, even if many people do not like it. There will be more of this type of thing, perhaps even more AI Art Bell shows. If U7 radio won’t do more shows, I’d be glad to work with other AI Art Bell fans to make a few more episodes. It does need to be done well, which may mean some curation, helping ChatGPT be closer to the real Bell.
Post topic ideas in the comments if you agree with the idea. Would you like to be on the Art Bell show as a guest yourself?
2 comments
This was great fun. I have to say that at times his voice seemed less like Art Bell, can’t wait to hear how much better it may be in about a year.
I agree, hope to see (hear, well perhaps see and hear the way things are going) an improved Art Bell from beyond some day.