Update on Google AI narration

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Update on Google AI narration

I knew there would be a glitch

And there is. While Google’s AI narration platform is a slick and seemingly user-friendly interface, it would seem the audiofiles are not to the standards of ACX. Amazon’s audiobook producer platform doesn’t much like AI narration, and has flat out rejected the files I remastered (to meet ACX standards) because all audiobooks must be narrated by a human being.

This is fascinating

In light of the fact not only has Google developed and is actively promoting the use of AI narration, and allowed users to download the files and use them elsewhere, it would seem Amazon (which owns ACX) is flexing some muscle, but one has to wonder why? Is this a pushback? Is AI narration in the offing for ACX? Certainly the AI narration seemed good enough for Kobo. So what’s up with ACX? One has to wonder. That ACX might be holding their standards higher is definitely a possibility, but not one in which I put much credence. Bottom line is Amazon is as considerable a behemoth as Google, so I cannot help but wonder if this isn’t simply some sort of proprietary protection and trade war.

Market share to be considered

Given sales statistics by audiobook platform, it behooves not only me, but any audiobook producer, to consider the following, gathered in part through Booknet Canada.

  1. Amazon Prime/Kindle Unlimited 31%
  2. Audible (also owned by Amazon) 27% (so, combined Amazon share is 58% of the market)
  3. Google and Kobo share the remaining 42% (at the time of writing I could not find statistics for either of these distributors)
With apologies to my followers

It would seem I’m still going to have to create my own audiofiles for my titles in order to have them available through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. For now, however, if you’re hungry for a quick audiobook fix, I do have audiobooks available for the following titles on the following platforms.

27
Jun 2022
By Lorina Stephensaudio booksComments Off on Update on Google AI narration