Melania Trump’s AI-Generated Audiobook: A New Era in Storytelling or a Calculated Ploy?
According to a report by The Times, a new audiobook has been released, titled Melania: The Audiobook, which features an AI-generated replica of Melania Trump’s voice. The audiobook is her memoir, which has been narrated by a robot, created under Melania Trump’s supervision. The introduction to the audiobook is provided by a male voice, which sounds like a self-service checkout, stating: "You are listening to the official audiobook edition of Melania. The narrator you are about to hear is an AI-generated replica of Melania Trump’s voice, created under Mrs Trump’s supervision."
As reported by The Times, the AI-generated voice of Melania Trump has been created using a vast database of first lady sound-alikes analysed by powerful neural networks being processed and synthesised. The AI voice has a familiar Slovenian accent, with the same jolting rhythms, saying: "Writing this memoir has been a deeply personal and reflective journey for me… My hope is that by sharing my story, I can contribute to a greater sense of understanding and hope for the future, among us all." However, as noted by The Times, the AI voice does sound slightly mechanical, particularly in the final words of the sentence.
The article in The Times raises questions about the authenticity of the audiobook and whether it is a genuine attempt to share Melania Trump’s story or a calculated ploy to promote her brand. The audiobook costs $25 and can only be purchased on Melania Trump’s website, alongside a $600 gold-plated pendant titled "Vote Freedom". As The Times notes, this has led to speculation that Melania Trump is using the audiobook as a way to make a profit, rather than as a genuine attempt to connect with the public.
As reported by The Times, the AI-voiced Melania is actually a little lighter and softer than the real first lady, which is a pleasant change given the audiobook is seven hours long. However, the AI does not use its considerable powers to impersonate Donald Trump, instead, we get Trump speeches as if they were delivered by Melania. The article in The Times states that: "Wow. Woah. Dat is some group of people… It’s great to be in de wonderful city … Dis is beyond any-bady’s expectations."
The article in The Times also highlights the contradictions in Melania Trump’s message, as she launches a campaign against cyberbullying, while her husband bullies his opponents relentlessly on social media. Additionally, she visits the southern border during a controversy about migrant children being separated from their parents, wearing a jacket that says: "I really don’t care, do you?" As The Times notes, this has led to criticism that Melania Trump is inconsistent in her message and is more interested in promoting her own brand than in making a genuine impact.
The Times notes that Melania Trump’s memoir, voiced by an AI, ends with the statement she released after the attempt on her husband’s life in July 2024. The assassin "recognised my husband as an inhuman political machine", she wrote. The AI voice continues: "We all come from families with the passion to fight for a better life together, while we are here, on this earthly realm… Dawn is here again. Let us reunite." As The Times observes, this statement is somewhat ambiguous, and it is unclear what Melania Trump meant by it.
In conclusion, the article from The Times provides an in-depth analysis of Melania Trump’s AI-generated audiobook, highlighting the questions surrounding its authenticity and the potential motivations behind it. As The Times notes, the use of an AI voice to narrate the memoir has created a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, leaving listeners to wonder what is real and what is not. Ultimately, the article in The Times suggests that the audiobook is a reflection of Melania Trump’s persona, one that is remote, opaque, and hard to fathom.
