Sesame’s new AI voice model features uncanny imperfections, and it’s willing to act like an angry boss.

In late 2013, the Spike Jonze film Her imagined a future where people would form emotional connections with AI voice assistants. Nearly 12 years later, that fictional premise has veered closer to reality with the release of a new conversational voice model from AI startup Sesame that has left many users both fascinated and unnerved.

  • @[email protected]
    8•1 day ago

    It feels reminiscent of the way narrators used to do books on tape. Modern ones are better imho, but all the pausing and intonation definitely seems “professional” more than conversational. Still extremely good.

    • TipponEnglish
      5•1 day ago

      I listened to an audiobook by Levar Burton a few days ago, and this sounds similar enough to his pattern of speech during the intro that I wouldn’t have known there was anything unusual about the AI voice. If I’d heard it read a book, I would have just assumed that the pauses were a style choice.