Corporate executives often appear to speak robotically during post-earnings conference calls with Wall Street analysts.
A synthetic version of Ari Emanuel’s voice, the chief executive of talent agency and UFC owner Endeavor spoke on Tuesday afternoon as a substitute for Emanuel to give the opening remarks at Endeavor’s fourth-quarter earnings call.
Speechify, a Florida-based company that produces software to convert text into speech, was used to replicate Emanuel’s voice. Last year, Endeavor became an investor with a minority share in Speechify.
Snoop Dogg, a client of Endeavor based in Beverly Hills, is one of the English-language voices showcased on Speechify’s website. WME owns this talent agency. In a statement, Cliff Weitzman, CEO of Speechify, declared.
Cliff Weitzman says:
“We used a recording of Ari’s voice and our generative AI [artificial intelligence] system to create a synthesized version of Ari’s voice.”
On Tuesday, Speechify unveiled a new range of AI-generated voice-overs. After six months of trials and refinement, Endeavor created a synthetic version of Emanuel’s voice. They shared that they had been exploring the potential use cases for AI in the context of Endeavor and its customers.
Is the AI voice “Ari Emanuel” up to stepping into the shoes of Ari Emanuel, entertainment industry mogul? Could it deliver a convincing presentation at an earnings call, which traditionally includes a formal overview of financial performance and optimistic comments about the company’s place in its sector?
Emanuel says:
“Closing out our first full year as a public company, we are encouraged by our performance in 2022.”
“We saw strong growth across our segments. Our business has proven resilient despite ongoing macroeconomic headwinds.”
Emanuel, a real person, managed the question-and-answer part of the call, responding to queries from analysts about the business’s specifics. He expressed that it was fitting to incorporate Speechify’s technology into the quarterly earnings call so everyone could experience it firsthand.
As the industry faces the challenge of adapting to new technologies that could alter how production and writing are managed on sets, much effort is being put in.
The Writers Guild of America is expected to address several issues in their upcoming talks with studios, including regulating artificial intelligence in writing, paying from streaming services, and using mini-rooms. Studios are preparing for the possibility that writers may strike as they negotiate these matters.
Emanuel brought up the possibility of a work stoppage and the potential damage it could do to Endeavor’s operations.
Emanuel pointed out that the company has a varied enterprise, encompassing sports and music.
Emanuel went on say:
“I think we’re pretty well positioned as it relates to a strike.”
“A great deal of our percentage of our economics comes from outside the writing, directing business.”
The use of an AI alters ego to open Endeavor’s earnings call marks a significant development in the field of corporate communication. The decision to have ChatGPT, an AI language model created by OpenAI, deliver the opening remarks indicates the growing role of artificial intelligence in business. While some may view this as a novelty or a gimmick, AI has significant advantages.
AI can help streamline communication and reduce the risk of human error while providing a more engaging and dynamic experience for investors and stakeholders. However, it is important to remember that AI is not a replacement for human interaction and that there are limitations to what it can do.
Source: Los Angeles Times
