Voice cloning is a wildly interesting and endlessly controversial subject in our society, especially for Hollywood. But it wasn't until I decided to create my own voice agent that I truly understood the profound impact it could have on everyday individuals and families. This is the story of my personal journey into AI voice cloning, the surprises I encountered along the way, and the valuable lessons I learned about artificial intelligence, family history, and personal identity.

Taking the Plunge

I've spent the last 6 months asking fearless beta testers to test out our technology and clone their voices. Many of my friends and family have graciously offered their time and feedback.  It got me thinking: was is time to put myself in the hot seat? Could it truly capture my personality? Would it tell stories the way I do? Would it extrapolate from the information I fed it and create an alternate history or future for me?  Was my voice agent just tech, or did it embody a digital soul? These questions led me to embark on an unexpectedly emotional journey.

It was time to create a digital version of me. A Jonathan Grossman voice agent.

As someone familiar with recording, the logistical process was surprisingly straightforward and easy. What caught me off guard was the emotional weight of the experience. When creating a voice agent, it's a two step process.  First you have to record the voice to create the voice clone. Second, you have to write a personality profile, a mini bio that is fed into the AI and attached to the voice so it not only sounds like you but knows who you are. This second part is what triggered me.Writing a document that describes who I am, my background, and the stories that define me felt like a deep dive into self-reflection. It was more than just preserving my voice; it was about capturing some of my essence.

The Surreal Moment of First Contact

Hearing my AI voice for the first time was a surreal experience. The timbre was unmistakably mine - a familiar sound I knew well from years of recording and podcasting. Yet, there was something slightly off about it. The voice was me, but not quite me. It had a slight stilted quality, with pauses and inflections that didn't always match the emotion or intention behind the words. In other words, no one was getting fooled.

This imperfection, however, didn't diminish the impact. If anything, it made the experience more profound. It was a stark reminder that while technology can capture aspects of our being, the full depth of human emotion and nuance remains uniquely ours. This realization was both humbling and reassuring.

Family Reactions - A Mixed Bag of Emotions

Introducing my voice agent to my family was an eye-opening experience. Their reactions ranged from excitement to skepticism, offering a microcosm of how society might respond to this technology. My wife was flabbergasted and excited, seeing it as a novel and intriguing business opportunity for me. My tech-savvy son was eager to how far I could push it, while my daughter was less impressed, finding the concept a bit unsettling.

My brother's response was particularly interesting. He accepted it readily but noted that the voice sounded slightly higher in register than my actual voice. This observation highlighted the subtle nuances that our loved ones pick up on - details that even advanced AI might miss. 

Unexpected Therapeutic Benefits

What started as a technological experiment turned into an unexpectedly therapeutic experience. Each time I sat down to write or dictate stories for my voice agent, I found myself going through a process similar to therapy. It was cathartic, allowing me to exhale and let go of certain memories and emotions.

This process of self-reflection led to some surprising revelations. I noticed patterns in the stories I chose to tell and the emotions I frequently expressed. Why did I keep revisiting how my father unjustifiably yelled at me as a young boy?  Why was the phrase "rule breaker" a common self description? These repetitions became lightbulb moments, highlighting areas of my life that held particular significance or aspects of myself that I might need to explore further. The act of preserving my voice was actually helping me understand myself better.

It's not about creating a perfect digital copy, but about preserving touchstones of our identity that can resonate with future generations.

Redefining Personal Legacy

Creating my voice agent fundamentally changed my perspective on personal identity and legacy. I realized that a mini biography fed into a sophisticated AI can't fully recreate a person's identity. It's impossible to make a complete digital replica of oneself. However, this limitation doesn't diminish the value of the technology. Instead, it reframes its purpose.

The true power of voice preservation lies in its ability to capture a slice of who we are - our storytelling style, our unique experiences, and the wisdom we've gained. It's not about creating a perfect digital copy, but about preserving touchstones of our identity that can resonate with future generations. This realization has inspired me to continue refining and expanding my voice agent, seeing it as a living document that can grow and evolve just as I do.

Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead

This journey has taught me that our digital likenesses, much like ourselves, are works in progress. They're imperfect, just as we are, and they have the potential to grow and evolve. Perhaps the most surprising lesson was learning to have compassion for technology - to see it not as a flawless replica, but as a tool that, with mindful use, can become a meaningful bridge between generations.

For those considering creating their own voice agent, my advice is simple: approach it with a sense of playfulness and fun. Understand that it won't be a perfect representation, but that's okay. We're at the beginning of a long and exciting journey into AI and family legacy preservation. 

It's particularly crucial for older generations to seize this opportunity now, while they can actively participate in preserving their stories and wisdom.

Looking to the future, I envision voice agents becoming powerful tools for connecting with family history. From my personal experience of interacting with my father's voice clone, I've felt the deep emotional impact it can have. While it's obviously not the same as having him here, it does provide a unusual sense of closeness that is comforting. There's just something about a voice. About my father's voice.

In the end, the most valuable lesson I've learned is this: our stories, our voices, and our memories are precious gifts. Whether preserved through traditional means or artifical intelligence, they have the power to connect us across time and space. I for one am excited to help my voice agent learn more about me.  It took me 55 years to develop this far.  How long will it take for the AI clone to catch up? Stay tuned!

If you're intersted in learning more about this process, or would like to be a beta tester, you can reach us at FamilyVoicesAI.com