AI Voices Helping AAC Users—On Stage and In Life

As a podcast host, husband, and occasional stand-up comedian, Jules Rodriquez uses his voice in many ways. But as a person with ALS, Rodriquez knew intonation was going to be a challenge until he tapped into the use of artificial intelligence.

On this episode of the podcast, a panel of guests—including Rodriquez—discusses how AI and voice-cloning technology are changing the way AAC users communicate. Hear how the technology replicates his voice and accounts for control over prosody and inflection, allowing him to demonstrate his individuality and personality.

Guests share how this technology affects Rodriquez’s life and relationships. Plus, he shares what he wants speech-language pathologists to know about voice cloning.

Learn More:

•              ASHA Voices: What Message-Banking Offers People With ALS

•              ASHA Voices: Why Some Autistic People Choose AAC and Oral Speech

•              From My Perspective/Opinion: Beyond Words: How Code-Switching in AAC Reflects Social and Cultural Nuance

Transcript

Support for this episode of ASHA Voices comes from Zanda.