Audible has recently rolled out audiobooks narrated by AI voices, making it easier for publishers to transform more books into audio formats. Does this present a chance for those on a budget, offer more options for listeners, or signal the decline of human narrators?
AI Voices Are Expanding the Audiobook Library
Audible has announced that they are collaborating with selected publishers to create audiobooks using AI narration. The concept is straightforward: numerous books miss out on being turned into audio format because hiring a live narrator can be costly and labor-intensive. With AI-generated voices, publishers can produce more titles quickly and affordably.
There are more than 100 AI voices available, initially focusing on English, French, Spanish, and Italian. Behind the scenes, these virtual voices leverage Amazon’s cutting-edge AI technology.
Publishers have two options to choose from. The first is Audible-managed, end-to-end production, where Audible manages the entire process. The second is self-service production, allowing publishers to oversee the production themselves.
Later this year, Audible also intends to introduce a beta version of AI-powered translation, which will convert English titles into Spanish, French, Italian, or German. Publishers can collaborate with human translators to refine the results.
According to Audible’s CEO, Bob Carrigan, audiobooks currently make up only a small percentage of all published works. This could change with AI, particularly for niche or indie titles that might never have received an audio version otherwise:
We’ll be able to bring more stories to life — helping creators reach new audiences while ensuring listeners across the globe can access incredible books that might otherwise never be heard.
Why This Matters for You as a Listener
For many listeners, this shift means an expanded selection of books. If there’s a title you’ve been eager to listen to but couldn’t find in audio format, it may soon be available on Audible with a virtual narrator. Furthermore, if you enjoy listening in multiple languages, the translation tools could greatly increase your options.
We can hope that this innovation won’t replace professional narrators for major releases. After all, there’s nothing quite like listening to Bryan Cranston narrate *The Things They Carried* or Morgan Freeman’s iconic voice in *Ishmael*. Bestsellers and popular memoirs should continue to receive the full studio experience. However, for smaller works or titles where the cost isn’t justifiable, AI could bridge the gap.
Will AI voices ever match the emotional depth of human narrators? Probably not—at least not for now. However, for certain genres such as nonfiction, self-help, or business literature, that emotional range may not be as crucial.
AI-generated podcasts are already making waves, resulting in mixed reactions. The same could be true for audiobooks.
As someone who often consults chatbots like ChatGPT to absorb information while on the move, I find them increasingly capable. If this allows me to enjoy more of the books I care about, I’m all for it. For more serious reads, though, I’ll always prefer the warmth of a human voice.
Only time will reveal whether AI audiobooks become a mainstay in the market. Let’s hope Audible creates a system that allows us to distinguish between AI and human-narrated audiobooks. Until then, keep an eye on the “Narrated by” label under each Audible title.
