ElevenLabs, the innovative AI-powered platform for generating synthetic voices, has officially launched its services out of beta with the ability to support over 30 languages.
Utilizing a cutting-edge AI model developed in-house, ElevenLabs now features automatic language detection, encompassing languages such as Korean, Dutch, and Vietnamese, while also producing “emotionally rich” speech in these languages.
With this new model, ElevenLabs users can harness the voice-cloning tool to communicate in nearly 30 languages without the need for prior text input. "Our mission at ElevenLabs has always been to make content universally accessible in any language and voice," stated CEO and co-founder Mati Staniszewski. "This launch brings us closer to our vision of providing high-quality AI voices in every dialect. Our text-to-speech tools democratize access to exceptional spoken audio capabilities for creators worldwide."
Founded by Staniszewski, a former Palantir employee, and his childhood friend Piotr Dabkowski, an ex-Google engineer, ElevenLabs quickly made a name for itself in recent months—both positively and negatively. The duo, inspired by the poor dubbing of American films they experienced while growing up in Poland, aimed to create a better solution through AI technology.
Launched in beta in January, ElevenLabs gained rapid traction thanks to its high-quality voice generation and a generous free-tier offering. However, the platform has faced scrutiny following misuse by malicious actors. For instance, users on the notorious 4chan message board exploited ElevenLabs’ capabilities to disseminate hateful messages in the likeness of celebrities, including actor Emma Watson. Additionally, journalist James Vincent from The Verge successfully used ElevenLabs to clone various voices, generating audio samples that included threats and discriminatory remarks.
In light of these issues, ElevenLabs announced it will implement new safeguards, such as restricting voice cloning to paid accounts and developing an AI detection tool.
Despite these challenges, ElevenLabs is also contending with growing concerns regarding its impact on the voice acting industry. Reports from Motherboard highlight that voice actors often face pressure to relinquish rights to their voices, enabling clients to employ AI to create synthetic alternatives that could supplant them. Internal communications reviewed by The New York Times suggest that prominent game publisher Activision Blizzard is actively exploring AI-driven “voice cloning” tools.
ElevenLabs appears to view this development as a natural evolution, collaborating with various publishers and media companies, including Storytel and TheSoul Publishing for audiobooks and MNTN for radio content. The company claims to have amassed over a million registered users in the creative and publishing sectors, resulting in a decade's worth of audio content generated on its platform.
Having recently secured $19 million in funding from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, ElevenLabs is valued at $99 million. The company's future plans include expanding its AI models to support voice dubbing, taking cues from startups like Papercup and Deepdub, while striving to establish “a foundation for transferring emotions and intonation across languages.”
Looking ahead, ElevenLabs also intends to introduce features that will enable users to share voices on the platform, though specifics are still under wraps.
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