2021 in Review: Realistic voice overs + trend breaking AI technology = business growth

This year might have felt longer than ever for some of us, but world over, people persevered. To name a few global events that withstood the threat of the pandemic: 140+ countries and territories held elections, more than 11,500 athletes participated in the Tokyo Olympics in July, big data and AI joined hands to power the world’s fastest vaccine creation, production and distribution for the coronavirus, and 120 world leaders got together in Glasgow in October to discuss climate change.

Closer home, in the world of voice, AI applications of voice overs made greater inroads into businesses, and consequently into all our lives in 2021. A CISCO VNI (Visual Networking Index) report published in 2017 predicted that by 2021, video will constitute 80% of all internet traffic. The internet video has democratised content creation to a scale compared only to the late 19th century, when printed material - magazines, newspapers, pamphlets - was mass-distributed for the first time in the English speaking world. That revolution birthed thousands of writers, illustrators and designers. Similarly, today, the need for high quality voice overs on a budget, to support online content creators, has also exploded. AI has been integral to the growth of the internet, both in creating content and in developing technologies and systems to manage platforms. Studies by top consulting firms also show that more businesses have adopted AI in some form, than last year.

These winds of change are blowing our way, propelling the progress of AI voice generators like ours. In this moment of reflection, here are Murf’s top milestones in voice AI in 2021:

While we always were passionate about what voice AI can do as a technology, seeing it come alive across the breadth (and depth) of our customers’ creations, from elearning modules and training presentations to product demos and ads has been satisfying and terrifying in equal measure. Without letting up on our learning and growth, in 2022:

1. We want to build voices for every content creator looking for high quality, budget friendly, voice overs. We want to be known for our realistic voice generator, user friendly interface and an experience that makes creating a voice from text seamless and fast.
2. Great content can come from anywhere. AI’s enduring quality is its ability to create a voice over that will always enhance the text input. We want to help create voice overs of any text, from anywhere, in any language, a delightful adventure that ends with a smile and a sweet sense of satisfaction.

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small.

- Richard Branson

One of the inspirations behind our work in voice AI is sound’s unique ability to communicate depth of emotion. A voice’s impact is not only through technology; it’s history, evolution and emotion, all rolled into one. Sometimes combined with music, but always resonant with our hearts, the right voice can uplift, energise, inspire and evoke warm feelings.

This is our time to absorb the ground we have covered, and sharpen our ambitions to become one of the leaders in voice AI technology.

Yesterday is but today’s memory, tomorrow is today’s dream.

- Khalil Gibran

2022, here we come!