AI Dubbing to Expand Access to TED Talks | Helena Batt, Director of Localization at TED | SlatorCon
Localization at TED: Innovations in AI Dubbing
Introduction to Helena Bat and Her Role
- Helena Bat, Director of Localization at TED, discusses her extensive 15-year experience in localization and media.
- Her role focuses on making TED Talks more accessible globally through subtitles, website localization, app localization, and AI dubbing.
AI Dubbing Pilot Program
- The pilot program launched earlier this year involved a select number of talks and languages using AI voice and lip-sync technology.
- Collaboration with volunteer translators was essential to refine outputs for authenticity and accuracy in both voice and message.
- Positive audience response noted with significant increases in views and video completions among non-English speakers.
Quality Improvements in AI Dubbing
- Dramatic advancements have been made since earlier tests which produced robotic-sounding outputs disconnected from the original content.
- Current technologies include multi-speaker modeling and voice cloning that enhance the quality of dubbed content.
Highlighted TED Talk Example
- Lara Boritzki's talk on how language shapes thought is highlighted as a favorite; it explores the connection between language perception and cognition.
- The global audience's deep connection with this talk post-dubbing was particularly rewarding for the team.
Future Plans for Localization at TED
- Upcoming plans include integrating AI dubbing into mobile apps where international users engage most frequently with content.