News/Audio
Record labels sue evasive AI music generators for billions in copyright damages
Major record labels have filed federal lawsuits against AI music generators Suno and Udio, alleging "mass copyright infringement on an almost unimaginable scale" and seeking billions in damages. The legal battle has sparked development of neural fingerprinting technology that can detect AI-generated music and identify when synthetic tracks derive from copyrighted works, even when no direct copying occurs. The big picture: Traditional audio fingerprinting fails against AI-generated music because it only catches exact matches, while neural networks can learn musical patterns and reproduce them in transformed ways that evade detection. Key details about the lawsuits: The labels built their case...
read Sep 29, 2025AI voice clones fool humans with just 4 minutes of training
New research from Queen Mary University of London reveals that AI voice clones created with just four minutes of audio recordings are now indistinguishable from real human voices to average listeners. The study demonstrates how sophisticated consumer-grade AI voice technology has become, raising significant concerns about fraud, misinformation, and the potential for voice cloning scams. What you should know: Researchers tested people's ability to distinguish between real voices and AI-generated clones using readily available technology.• The study used 40 synthetic AI voices and 40 human voice clones created with ElevenLabs' consumer tool, requiring roughly four minutes of recordings per clone.•...
read Sep 26, 2025Google rolls out 4 audio enhancements for Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds
Google has begun rolling out a significant software update for its Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds, delivering four major audio enhancements that were first teased at the company's Made by Google event last month. The update introduces adaptive audio technology, hands-free gesture controls, enhanced noise protection, and improved AI assistant functionality—features that collectively represent one of the most substantial upgrades the premium earbuds have received since their 2024 launch. This update arrives as competition intensifies in the premium earbud market, with Apple's AirPods Pro 2 setting benchmarks for adaptive audio features and other manufacturers racing to match sophisticated noise management...
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Insta360 launches Wave AI speakerphone with levitating design for elevated productivity
Insta360 has launched Wave, an AI-enabled speakerphone that marks the company's first major entry into professional audio hardware. The device features a unique "levitating" design and integrates with Insta360's AI meeting assistant to transcribe conversations, generate summaries, and create searchable audio archives—positioning the imaging company to compete in the growing market for AI-powered workplace tools. Key features: Wave combines advanced audio capture with intelligent processing capabilities designed for professional use. An 8-microphone 3D array records Hi-Fi 48 kHz quality audio from up to 16 feet away, while AI suppresses over 300 types of ambient noise including traffic and keyboard clicks....
read Sep 26, 2025YouTube Labs debuts AI-powered music hosts for Premium subscribers
YouTube has launched YouTube Labs, a new platform dedicated to testing "cutting edge AI experiments" for users, with its first feature adding AI-powered music hosts to YouTube Music. The initiative marks YouTube's focused effort to explore artificial intelligence applications within its ecosystem, offering Premium subscribers early access to experimental AI features. What you should know: YouTube Labs represents a dedicated space for AI experimentation, separate from the existing youtube.com/new testing platform that focuses on general feature previews.• The platform is currently available to "a limited number of US-based participants" who can opt into AI experiments before wider release.• Users receive...
read Sep 26, 2025Fake AI song infiltrates Bon Iver side project’s official Spotify page
A fake AI-generated song has appeared on Volcano Choir's official Spotify page, despite the acclaimed Bon Iver side project being dormant since 2013. The incident highlights Spotify's ongoing struggle with AI-generated content, occurring just days after the platform announced new policies to combat "AI slop" that deceives listeners and diverts royalties from legitimate artists. What happened: A suspicious new single titled "Silkymoon Light" suddenly appeared on Volcano Choir's verified Spotify profile this week with no official announcement from the band or their label, Jagjaguwar. The track features robotic vocals that poorly imitate Justin Vernon's distinctive voice, singing generic lyrics like...
read Sep 25, 2025Penny for your talks? Neon app pays users $0.30 per minute to record calls for AI training
Neon, an app that records phone calls and sells them to AI companies for training data, has climbed to No. 2 on Apple's US App Store in the Social Networking category. The app pays users $0.30 per minute for calls with other Neon users and $0.15 per minute for calls with non-users, suggesting many people are willing to trade privacy for compensation. How it works: Neon records phone conversations and sells the audio data to AI developers to help train speech recognition systems. Users earn money for each minute of recorded conversation, with earnings capped at $30 per day plus...
read Sep 23, 2025AI subtitles for the hard of hearing increase workload for humans while driving down wages
Human subtitlers who create captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers are facing an existential threat as artificial intelligence increasingly automates their specialized craft. Despite industry assumptions that AI will streamline subtitle production, professional subtitlers report that current AI tools actually increase their workload while driving down wages to unsustainable levels. What you should know: Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) require far more nuanced decision-making than simple transcription, involving creative interpretation of sounds, emotions, and narrative context. Max Deryagin, chair of Subtle, a non-profit association of freelance subtitlers, emphasizes that "SDH is an art, and people in...
read Sep 17, 2025Did she not say she’d always love you? AI invokes Whitney Houston’s voice for new tour
Whitney Houston is embarking on a posthumous concert tour 13 years after her death, powered by artificial intelligence technology that isolates her vocals from original recordings. The tour, called "The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration," combines AI-extracted vocal tracks with live symphony orchestras and video footage, marking the 40th anniversary of Houston's career launch. Why this matters: Many of Houston's original multitrack recordings had been lost over the years, making traditional tribute concerts impossible until AI technology advanced enough to separate vocals from fully mixed songs without compromising audio quality. How the AI works: Park Avenue Artists, the production...
read Sep 16, 2025YouTube launches AI dubbing in Spanish, Japanese, Hindi and Korean
YouTube has launched multilingual dubbing for creators after nearly two years of testing, offering both manual upload options and AI-generated dubs powered by Google Gemini in languages including Spanish, Japanese, Hindi, and Korean. The rollout addresses the growing demand for global content accessibility while positioning YouTube to compete with similar features from Meta, Microsoft, and other platforms introducing AI dubbing capabilities. What you should know: Creators can now choose between uploading their own professionally created dubs or using YouTube's automated AI dubbing system. YouTube warns that AI-generated dubs may struggle with tone and local idioms, making human-created versions preferable for...
read Sep 11, 2025How Apple’s translation AirPods create new economic value in consumption (not production)
Apple's new AirPods feature live translation capabilities, marking one of the first tangible examples of AI creating entirely new possibilities rather than simply reducing costs. The technology addresses language barriers that act as "invisible tariffs" on the global economy, potentially opening new markets and unleashing economic opportunities previously constrained by communication gaps. The big picture: Unlike most AI applications that focus on replacing human labor or cutting costs, Apple's translation-enabled AirPods represent AI's potential to expand consumption and create new economic value rather than just making existing processes cheaper. Why this matters: According to PWC, a global consulting firm, two-thirds...
read Sep 11, 2025Sonic Boon: Stable Audio 2.5 creates 3-minute custom tracks for enterprise branding
Stability AI has launched Stable Audio 2.5, an enterprise-focused AI model designed to help brands create custom, three-minute audio tracks within seconds. The tool enables companies to build a distinctive "sonic identity" through fully licensed, AI-generated music and soundscapes that can be deployed across advertising, retail locations, and other brand touchpoints. What you should know: Stable Audio 2.5 represents the first audio generation model specifically designed for enterprise-grade sound production. The model can create custom musical tracks up to three minutes long in seconds, complete with intro, middle section, and outro compositions. Users can fine-tune the model on their organization's...
read Sep 5, 2025Whoa, Timekettle’s $349 W4 AI earbuds translate 42 languages with “bone conduction” tech
Timekettle has launched the W4 AI Interpreter Earbuds, real-time translation earbuds priced at $349 that use bone conduction technology to improve voice recognition accuracy in noisy environments. The earbuds represent a more affordable and casual-friendly alternative to the company's $449 over-ear W4 Pro, featuring a modern wireless earbud design optimized for everyday translation needs across 42 languages and 95 accents. Key features: The W4 AI earbuds combine traditional microphones with bone conduction sensors to achieve up to 98 percent translation accuracy, even in loud environments. The bone conduction technology detects voice vibrations through head bones, allowing for more accurate speech...
read Sep 4, 2025Major miniaturization: Anker’s quarter-sized AI recorder transcribes 100+ languages for $100
Anker has unveiled the Soundcore Work, a coin-sized AI voice recorder designed to automatically transcribe and summarize meetings with a single click. At just 0.91 inches across—roughly the size of a quarter—the device represents a significant miniaturization breakthrough in AI-powered meeting technology, offering professional transcription capabilities in an ultra-portable form factor that can be worn on clothing or a lanyard. What you should know: The Soundcore Work combines advanced AI capabilities with unprecedented portability for meeting documentation. The device can transcribe over 100 languages automatically and distinguish between different speakers while removing unwanted words and filler language. It offers eight...
read Aug 22, 2025SoundHound AI trades cheaper than Palantir despite tripling revenue growth
SoundHound AI and Palantir Technologies present compelling but different investment opportunities in the AI sector, with SoundHound trading at a significantly cheaper valuation despite faster growth rates. The growth trajectories: Both companies are capitalizing on AI adoption but in different market segments and scales.• SoundHound AI more than tripled its revenue to $43 million in Q2 2025, targeting the conversational AI market projected to reach $61 billion by 2032.• Palantir's revenue grew 48% to just over $1 billion in Q2, driven by its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) adoption across commercial and government sectors.• SoundHound raised its 2025 revenue guidance to...
read Aug 20, 2025Meta launches AI tool that dubs and lip-syncs Reels in multiple languages
Meta has launched an AI-powered translation tool that automatically dubs and lip-syncs Reels videos in different languages, starting with English and Spanish translations. The feature, which was previewed at Meta Connect last year, aims to help creators expand their global reach by making their content accessible to international audiences while maintaining authentic voice characteristics and synchronized mouth movements. What you should know: The tool requires creators to have either 1,000 Facebook followers or a public Instagram account to access the feature. At launch, Meta AI Translations only supports English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English conversions, though more languages will be added in the...
read Aug 19, 2025Spotify’s new mixing tool lets users customize playlist transitions
Spotify has launched a new feature that allows Premium users to create custom transitions between playlist songs, arriving just weeks before Apple Music's similar AutoMix feature debuts in iOS 26. The timing suggests Spotify is proactively responding to Apple's AI-powered DJ-like transitions by offering its own take on seamless playlist mixing. What you should know: Spotify's transition feature is now rolling out in beta to Premium subscribers, focusing specifically on playlist customization rather than system-wide functionality. Users can access the feature by selecting a playlist and tapping the new "Mix" option in the toolbar. The tool offers both an "Auto"...
read Aug 18, 2025Lawsuit accuses Otter.ai of secretly recording 25M users for AI training
A federal class-action lawsuit filed against Otter.ai accuses the popular AI transcription service of secretly recording and processing millions of users' private conversations without proper consent to train its artificial intelligence systems. The suit, filed in California federal court, alleges that Otter's default settings allow it to record virtual meetings without alerting all participants, potentially violating state and federal privacy and wiretapping laws. What you should know: The lawsuit centers on Otter Notebook's automatic recording capabilities during virtual meetings across major platforms. Plaintiff Justin Brewer of San Jacinto, California claims his privacy was "severely invaded" when Otter secretly recorded a...
read Aug 15, 2025NVIDIA releases 1M-hour speech dataset for 25 European languages
NVIDIA has released Granary, an open-source multilingual speech dataset containing approximately one million hours of audio, alongside two new AI models designed for transcription and translation across 25 European languages. The release addresses a critical gap in speech AI development, as only a tiny fraction of the world's 7,000 languages are currently supported by AI language models, with particular focus on underrepresented European languages like Croatian, Estonian, and Maltese. What you should know: The Granary dataset represents a massive leap forward in multilingual speech AI training data, providing developers with ready-to-use resources for production-scale applications. The dataset includes nearly 650,000...
read Aug 15, 2025Read my Lips: AI dubbing tech creates world’s first fully visual-dubbed film in US theaters
Flawless, a London-based AI company, has developed DeepEditor, a technology that creates realistic visual dubbing by manipulating actors' facial movements to match foreign language dialogue. The technology was recently used to create the world's first fully visually-dubbed feature film, Watch the Skies, which was released in 110 AMC theaters across the US, marking a potential breakthrough for international cinema distribution. Why this matters: The global film dubbing market is projected to grow from $4 billion in 2024 to $7.6 billion by 2033, driven by streaming platforms seeking to expand international content reach to audiences resistant to traditional subtitles and dubbing....
read Aug 11, 2025The AI will take your statement now: Jersey police streamline witness interviews and boost forensics
Jersey police have successfully integrated artificial intelligence into their crime-fighting operations, with AI-powered tools now helping transcribe witness interviews and enhance digital forensics capabilities. The States of Jersey Police Authority's annual report highlights how these technological advances are delivering "long-term efficiencies and enhanced decision-making" while maintaining human oversight of all AI-assisted processes. What you should know: The Jersey police force began testing AI transcription technology in March to streamline witness interview processing and improve operational efficiency. Police Chief Robin Smith emphasized that while AI promises enhanced capabilities, all processes remain under human supervision to ensure accuracy and accountability. The technology...
read Aug 7, 2025British MP’s AI avatar struggles with Yorkshire accents
Leeds MP Mark Sewards has launched what's billed as the first AI avatar of a British MP, allowing constituents to interact with a digital version that responds in his voice. However, testing by The Guardian revealed significant limitations when the AI encountered Yorkshire accents and local dialect, highlighting ongoing challenges with voice recognition technology for regional speech patterns. How it works: The "Sewardsbot" features a Pixar-style cartoon representation of the Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley that can field questions from constituents.• The AI responds in Sewards' actual voice, offering advice, support, or promising to pass messages to...
read Aug 7, 2025Google DeepMind expands Perch AI to track endangered wildlife sounds
Google DeepMind has released an updated version of Perch, an AI model designed to help conservationists analyze bioacoustic data from endangered species and ecosystems. The new model features improved bird species predictions, better adaptation to underwater environments like coral reefs, and training on nearly twice as much data covering mammals, amphibians, and anthropogenic noise. What you should know: The updated Perch model significantly expands beyond its original bird-focused capabilities to analyze a broader range of wildlife sounds. The model can now process complex acoustic scenes across thousands or millions of hours of audio data from microphones and underwater hydrophones (underwater...
read Aug 6, 2025ElevenLabs launches AI music generator with full commercial rights
ElevenLabs has launched an AI music generator that offers full commercial rights to users, allowing generated music to be used in YouTube videos, movies, and advertising without licensing restrictions. The move positions the AI voice company to expand beyond its core offering into the less-crowded generative music space, where commercial usage rights could provide a significant competitive advantage. What you should know: The tool operates through simple text prompts, similar to chatbots or image generators, where users can request specific musical styles and themes. Users can input prompts like "create an early 2000s pop song with lyrics about a romantic...
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