Techniques

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

Technology that converts written text into spoken audio using AI-generated voices that sound increasingly human-like.

What is Text-to-Speech (TTS)?

Text-to-Speech (TTS) converts written text into spoken audio using AI-generated voices.

Modern TTS systems use neural networks to create natural-sounding speech that can adjust pace, tone, and even emotion. You can control reading speed, choose from different voices, and some tools can even clone specific voices.

Builders use TTS to add voice features to apps, create audiobooks, generate podcast content, or make products accessible. Popular options include ElevenLabs for voice cloning, Google Cloud TTS for reliable basics, and Amazon Polly for scale.

Pricing ranges from free tiers (Google gives you 1 million characters/month free) to premium voice cloning at $5-30/month. Most charge per character or per minute of audio generated.

Good to Know

Modern TTS uses neural networks to create natural-sounding voices, not robotic speech
Works across devices - computers, phones, tablets, and can be embedded in apps via API
Premium services like ElevenLabs can clone specific voices with just a few minutes of audio
Most platforms offer adjustable speed, pitch, and emphasis for different use cases
Free tiers exist from major providers - Google gives 1M characters/month at no cost

How Vibe Coders Use Text-to-Speech (TTS)

1
Adding voice narration to your SaaS product for accessibility
2
Generating audiobook versions of your written content in minutes
3
Creating podcast episodes from blog posts without recording
4
Building a voice assistant for your app that reads notifications aloud
5
Making tutorial videos with AI narration instead of recording voiceovers

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Terms

Whisper

OpenAI's open-source speech-to-text model that converts audio to text with high accuracy across 99 languages.

Speech-to-Text (STT)

AI technology that converts spoken words into written text in real-time or from recordings.

Voice Cloning

AI technology that creates a digital replica of someone's voice from audio samples, capturing their unique speech patterns and tone.

Eleven Labs

AI voice platform that generates ultra-realistic speech from text, clones voices, and dubs content into 29+ languages.

HeyGen

AI video platform that turns text into talking avatar videos. Upload a photo, type your script, and get a presenter-style video in minutes.

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