What is WellSaid Labs?
WellSaid Labs was founded by Matt Hocking and Michael Petrochuk in 2018, who were brought together by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Seattle, Washington. Their mission was to develop an AI-driven voice generator that could create human-like voices with exceptional clarity.
WellSaid Labs is an advanced AI voice generator that turns text into voiceovers in seconds, offering over 50 high-quality synthetic voices. Through the use of machine learning techniques, it's able to create natural-sounding audio that is indistinguishable from human speech.
The platform allows users to generate audio for various applications, including corporate training, advertising, products, experiences, video production, and more. It also has many ways to customize your AI voices, ranging from specific word pronunciation, adjusting the volume and pace, and adding pauses to engage listeners.
Plus, you can collaborate with colleagues or clients within the platform to ensure that the final voiceover meets everyone's expectations. Once you're happy with what you've created, you can export it as an MP3 and use it in videos or wherever you see fit!
Let's start by looking at its use cases a little more in-depth.
WellSaid Labs Use Cases
WellSaid Labs has a variety of use cases, including corporate training, advertising, products and experiences, video production, and more.
Corporate Training
WellSaid Labs is the perfect tool for corporate training programs. Learning and development teams claim that they've reduced production costs by 25%, while others have cut their production time by 50%! Some reputable brands like FedEx and Intel have used it.
With WellSaid, realistic AI voices are available 24/7. You can control how things are taught by telling the AI how words should be pronounced with the Pronunciation Library.
In addition, you'll be able to share your projects and collaborate with others to get training modules done faster. Plus, you can feel secure knowing your brand is protected with SOC2-certified data encryption.
Its high-quality synthetic voices can help create engaging and professional training materials that effectively convey information to employees. Whether it's a sales presentation, compliance training, or onboarding module, WellSaid Labs can provide a clear, coherent voice that holds learners' attention.
Trainers can easily integrate AI-generated voices into their existing training platforms, making the learning experience more immersive and interactive.
Advertising
WellSaid Labs also offers excellent potential in the field of advertising that's 10x faster than traditional audio voiceover recording. With its realistic AI voices, businesses can create captivating and persuasive commercials and promotional materials that genuinely resonate with their target audience.
Imagine a radio ad that sounds like a real person speaking or an animated video with a voiceover that brings the characters to life. WellSaid's high-quality synthetic voices can add a human touch to your advertising campaigns, making them more relatable and compelling. The custom avatars are especially handy for creating memorable and engaging branded AI voices.
Products & Experiences
The versatility of WellSaid Labs extends beyond training materials and advertising. It also offers many possibilities for building innovative products, creating captivating experiences, and enhancing user interfaces. With its high-quality synthetic voices and advanced AI technology, WellSaid Labs empowers developers and designers to take their creations to the next level.
Imagine developing a mobile app with an interactive voice assistant that responds convincingly in real-time or designing a virtual reality experience where the characters speak with life-like human voices. WellSaid Labs can help bring these ideas to fruition by providing custom avatars and realistic AI-generated voices that seamlessly blend with the user's interactions, creating a truly immersive and interactive experience.
The possibilities are endless. From interactive games to educational apps, WellSaid Labs can revolutionize how we engage with technology.
Video Production
With WellSaid Labs, you can take your video production to new heights. Whether you're working on a movie, creating digital content for YouTube, or social media content, WellSaid's high-quality synthetic voices will bring your videos to life.
For example, you could use WellSaid to narrate a documentary with a sophisticated and engaging AI voice. Or perhaps an animated video where each character has its own unique voice, adding depth and personality to the storyline.
Take advantage of WellSaid's real-time collaboration to streamline your video production process. Or you can create a custom voice unique to your brand to use across all your video content, ensuring consistency and brand recognition.
Creating an AI Voice Using WellSaid Studio
Here is how I used WellSaid Labs to create AI voiceovers in minutes.
I selected “Try for Free” on the WellSaid Labs homepage. All I had to do was fill out some basic information to create my account, and they sent a verification email.
Once my email was verified, I could choose my plan. I went with the Free Trial to try all the voice avatars for one week!
Once I agreed to the terms, I was in my Projects panel, where I could start a new project and create an AI voice using WellSaid.
In my account, I went to “Studio” on the left (you can also click the “New Project” button on the top right).
WellSaid asked me to create a new project. I gave it a name, client name (optional), and selected the version.
There were two versions to choose from: Current and Future. Future is the newest version of WellSaid that sounds more natural and has dynamic features like pauses, pace adjustment, and volume of words and phrases.
I selected Future because I wanted to see what WellSaid was capable of, and I recommend you do the same to get the most out of it!
Next, I chose my voice by selecting the play button next to the avatars I was interested in. Some of the voices sounded more natural than others. Overall, I was impressed with how human-like they were!
I was happy to see a wide variety of over 50 AI voices to choose from across different genders, races, and age ranges. WellSaid made it easy to sort through them with the Filters button at the top. They could be sorted by regional accents, voice characteristics, and performance styles.
I sampled the avatars I was interested in by pressing the play button. When I was ready, I selected the three dots next to the avatar and pressed “Select this Avatar” (you can also add it to your favorites).
Once selected, I could write my script by typing it in the empty field!
Changing the Pronunciation of Words
I could adjust the pronunciation of specific words on the right panel in the “Script” tab.
I wanted my avatar to pronounce “edamame” differently, so I typed out the original word in the first field. In the second field, I typed out how I wanted my avatar to pronounce the word phonetically (“edamawmay”). I previewed it by pressing the play button, and it sounded accurate!
In the left menu in the “Pronunciation” tab, I can find the new word I've added to my pronunciation library. Here, I can build and access an entire phonetic library to fine-tune how my avatar pronounces specific words. It's a powerful feature that ensures my script sounds exactly how I want it to!
Back in the Studio, when I type out that word in my script, it is bolded. When I click on it, it reminds me what I have changed the pronunciation of that word to. I can always highlight this word and turn the pronunciation on or off or change it.
Adjusting the Loudness, Pace, and Pausing
In the “Cues” tab on the right panel, I could select individual words from my script and change the loudness, pace, and pausing of words and phrases by selecting the word/phrase and adjusting the toggles.
The WellSaid Studio is also highly collaborative. Once I was satisfied with my voiceover, sharing it with others was a breeze.
WellSaid Labs allowed me to generate a link that could be shared with anyone. I could collaborate with them in real-time and give different permissions, whether that was view-only, edit, or admin-level. My team could now access the same information and make adjustments as needed.
On the bottom, I had the option to download the voiceover. It's important to note that while the Free Trial gives you access to all the voice avatars, it is limited to one week. If you want to continue using WellSaid Labs for an extended period and have the ability to download your voiceovers as an MP3 file, a paid plan is required.
And that's how easy it was for me to use WellSaid Labs to create AI voiceovers! I found the interface user-friendly, allowing me to navigate the platform easily.
The “Cues” tab on the right panel allowed me to emphasize certain words or phrases and create a natural flow in the voiceover. It gave me complete control over the delivery, ensuring it matched the tone and style I wanted to convey.
WellSaid API
WellSaid Labs also offers a robust API that allows developers to integrate AI-generated voiceovers into their applications. With the WellSaid API, you can seamlessly add the power of synthetic voices to your products and services.
Whether you need an AI voice for an app, digital product, chatbot, or advertisement, the WellSaid API provides the tools to create engaging and immersive experiences. By harnessing the capabilities of AI voice avatars, you can enhance your user interfaces and deliver content more dynamically.
Within your WellSaid Labs account, you can easily access the API by selecting it from the menu on the left.
You can access the WellSaid Labs API documentation or select “Request Access” to book a call with a specialist.
Pros and Cons
- Try all of the AI voices for a week for free.
- It has a simple interface that's easy to use, making it accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise.
- Over 50 high-quality synthetic AI voices that sound natural and professional.
- Customize individual words and phrases (pronunciation, volume, pace, and pause).
- Clone your voice for a unique voice that is true to your brand.
- Helpful resources (Knowledge Base and Live Chat support).
- SOC2 certification, ensuring data encryption and safeguarding your brand against unethical AI uses.
- No tool to help with scriptwriting.
- No AI avatars or video editing capabilities.
- You can only download voiceovers on one of the paid plans.
- Multiple languages are only available on the Enterprise plan.
- It might take some trial and error to get the correct pronunciation.
- More expensive than other AI voice apps.