Amazon is launching a beta program allowing a select group of Audible narrators to create AI-generated clones of their voices. This initiative aims to speed up audiobook production and will eventually expand to include authors, agents, and publishers.

Participants in the U.S.-only beta will submit voice samples to create their AI replicas and maintain creative control over which projects their voices are used for. They will also have the ability to adjust their AI voice's pronunciation and pacing, and review the final output for errors. Narrators will be paid based on a Royalty Share model for each title they lend their AI voice to.

Amazon clarified that voice replicas will not be used without the narrator's approval, and audiobooks using AI-generated voices will be clearly labeled. While the feature is currently free in beta, there may be future costs for narrators if the program expands.

This move follows Amazon’s previous rollout of synthetic voice technology for Kindle Direct Publishing authors. The introduction of AI voices has raised concerns about reduced job opportunities for human narrators, with some noting the lack of options for listeners to filter out AI-narrated audiobooks.