Artificially Intelligent Narration Employed by Melania Trump in Her Latest Autobiography
First Lady Melania Trump Releases AI-Narrated Audiobook of Memoir
First Lady Melania Trump has ventured into uncharted territories in the publishing industry, releasing an AI-narrated audiobook version of her memoir, "Melania." This marks the first instance wherein an American First Lady has employed artificial intelligence to narrate a commercial publication.
The AI-generated voice model was developed in collaboration with AI audio startup, ElevenLabs, under the supervision of Trump herself, as per her official website. The audiobook launched Thursday is exclusively available for $25 on the ElevenReader app, an AI-powered audio platform created by the same company. Additional versions of the book, including Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi translations, are expected in the forthcoming weeks.
According to its Amazon description, the book reflects on Trump’s Slovenian childhood, her journey into the world of high fashion, and her serendipitous encounter with President Donald Trump. The seven-hour audiobook is part of the growing catalog of AI-narrated works on ElevenReader, which also includes publications by figures like Maya Angelou, Deepak Chopra, and Arianna Huffington.
The technical and legal implications of AI voice cloning have come to the fore with this development. According to Dhrupad Das, a Web3 lawyer and founding partner at Panda Law, the use of AI to mimic Melania Trump’s voice introduces potential risks due to the complex relationship between privacy rights, intellectual property laws, and emerging regulations addressing synthetic media.
While contractual agreements typically require explicit consent for using digital replicas, the legal landscape becomes murky when AI is used to mimic celebrities or political leaders. The U.S. legal system is yet to fully articulate the boundaries for AI imitations, leaving room for debate and potential litigation.
Trump's foray into the realm of AI-narrated books follows her recent appearance at the White House for the signing of the "Take It Down Act," a new law aimed at combating the online publication of non-consensual intimate images and AI-generated deepfakes. The legislation seeks to protect the digital identities of individuals, particularly young people, from abuse. Trump emphasized that this legislation serves as a significant step towards ensuring greater online safety for all Americans.
The development of Melania Trump's AI-narrated audiobook of her memoir has raised questions about the legal implications of AI voice cloning, as complex relationships between privacy rights, intellectual property laws, and synthetic media regulations are now a focus. Despite contractual agreements often requiring explicit consent for using digital replicas, the legal landscape remains unclear when AI is used to mimic celebrities or political leaders, such as Melania Trump. Following her recent advocacy for online safety through the "Take It Down Act," this exploration of AI-narrated works adds to Trump's engagement with the intersection of technology, art, and entertainment.
