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Spotify Tests Voice Translation Feature for Podcasts

Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. (Reuters)
Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. (Reuters)
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Spotify Tests Voice Translation Feature for Podcasts

Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. (Reuters)
Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. (Reuters)

Spotify Technology is testing an AI-powered feature that will translate podcasts from the likes of Dax Shepard and Lex Fridman to other languages, the audio-streaming company said on Monday.

The feature marks the latest attempt by the Swedish company to capitalize on generative artificial intelligence, the technology that has taken the world by storm after the rise of ChatGPT, to tap new users and boost revenue.

The translated versions, powered by Microsoft-backed OpenAI's newly released voice generation technology, would mimic the original speaker's style and will be more natural than traditional dubbing, Spotify said.

The company had also worked with other podcasters including Monica Padman, Bill Simmons and Steven Bartlett for the feature.

The voice translations would be available in languages including Spanish, French and German for a select number of catalog episodes and future episode releases, said Spotify, which could expand the audience of the shows.

Spotify has spent aggressively in the past few years on its podcast business, hoping the higher engagement levels offered by the format will bring in more advertisers.

But that drove up the company's operating expenditure, which surged at twice the speed of its revenue growth last year. Besides, businesses have also been dialing back spending on ads due to rising interest rates and high inflation.

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Chinese Robot 'Guide Dog' Aims to Improve Independence for Visually Impaired

A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
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Chinese Robot 'Guide Dog' Aims to Improve Independence for Visually Impaired

A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan
A visually impaired person walks with a six-legged robot "guide dog" during a demonstration of a field test for a Shanghai Jiao Tong University test team, in Shanghai, China June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan

It's less furry than a traditional companion, but a six-legged Chinese robot "guide dog" could one day help vision impaired people live more independently, according to its research development team in Shanghai.
The robot dog, which is currently being field-tested, is able to navigate its physical environment via cameras and sensors, including recognizing traffic light signals, which traditional guide dogs are unable to do, Reuters said.
Roughly the size of an English Bulldog but a bit wider, it can communicate by listening and speaking with a visually impaired operator with artificial intelligence technology incorporated into its voice recognition, route planning capabilities and traffic light identification. It also has six legs, which the researchers said helps it walk smoothly and with maximum stability.
"When three legs are lifted, there are still three legs .. like the tripod of a camera. It is the most stable shape," said Professor Gao Feng, the head of the research team at Jiao Tong University's School of Mechanical Engineering in Shanghai.
Married couple Li Fei, 41, and Zhu Sibin, 42, are among the visually impaired people helping the Jiao Tong University team test the robot using Chinese-language commands.
Li is completely blind and Zhu sees only a little, normally using a cane to assist him in getting around.
"If this robot guide dog comes onto the market and I could use it, at least it could solve some of my problems in traveling alone," Li said. "For example, if I want to go to work, the hospital or the supermarket (now) I cannot go out alone and must be accompanied by my family or volunteers."
Robot guide dogs are under development in other countries, including Australia and Britain, but China has a drastic shortage of traditional guide dogs.
In China, there are just over 400 guide dogs for almost 20 million blind people, Gao said.
Pet ownership and service animals are also relatively new concepts in the country, meaning many workplaces, restaurants and other public areas wouldn't welcome a more traditional helper like a Labrador.
Unlike those dogs, which will always be limited in supply due to the natural limitations of breeding and the intense training required, Gao said the production of robot guide dogs could be scaled, especially in a major manufacturing hub like China.
"It's a bit like cars. I can mass-produce them in the same way as cars, so it will become more affordable," Gao said. "I think this could be a very large market, because there might be tens of millions of people in the world who need guide dogs."