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BBC on Monday launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-based text-to-speech tool on its digital platform, offering a new way for users to consume its content.
The tool was developed using deep neural networks, and in collaboration with Microsoft. It uses a synthetic voice with a natural tone and clearly articulates speech.
According to BBC, the reading tool will be initially available for 16 feature articles in a series called ‘The Life Project’ within BBC Worklife. After the series concludes, it will be made available for select articles from BBC Culture, BBC Future and BBC Worklife.
The articles powered by the text-to-speech tool will display a “listen to article” prompt, and people can click on it to access the reading control options such as play, pause, rewind, volume and scroll bar. The audio will continue to play in the background when listening to these articles on both desktop and mobile.
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The tool is designed to use its AI software to learn the patterns of users’ behaviour and prioritise content based on their preferences, BBC noted in a release.
“As the popularity of audio grows, this new product offers audiences another complementary way of engaging with our content in a format that suits them,” Errol Baran, Global SVP, Business Development & Innovation, said in a release.
According to BBC, 62% of its digital audience now spend between 30 minutes and four hours listening to podcasts each day.
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The launch marks the first milestone in an ambitious plan which aims to see the product rolled out to other areas of the site as part of an initiative called Project Songbird, BBC stated.
The use of a synthetic voice means the project will be suitable for a wide range of content as well as allowing the audio to change automatically as and when any text is updated, it added.