This Holiday Season, Jimmy Stewart’s Voice Returns in a New Bedtime Story
If you’re looking for a relaxing bedtime story this holiday season, look no further than the Calm mental health app. The iconic voice of Jimmy Stewart, known for his role in the holiday classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” has been brought back to life using artificial intelligence (AI). In collaboration with CMG Worldwide, Calm announced the release of “It’s a Wonderful Sleep Story,” narrated by Stewart.
Bringing Jimmy Stewart Back with AI Technology
The generative AI-voice platform developed by Respeecher, a Ukraine-based AI developer, made it possible to recreate Stewart’s voice. The family and estate of Jimmy Stewart, represented by CMG Worldwide, agreed to participate in the project. CMG Worldwide also manages other iconic estates such as James Dean and Natalie Wood.
The Complexity of Creating Digital Content
Creating digital content using AI technology can be complex. Travis Cloyd, CEO of CMG Worldwide XR and Senior Fellow at Thunderbird School of Global Management, explained that the process varies depending on the desired medium or experience. The objective could range from deep fakes to immersive 3D experiences.
Calm as an Incredible Platform for Recognizable Voices
Cloyd praised Calm as an incredible platform and media company. He compared pitching content with recognizable voice synthesis to pitching movies or documentaries to platforms like Netflix or Amazon. Jimmy Stewart’s voice is highly recognizable and adds value to Calm’s sleep stories.
Jimmy Stewart: The Everyman and Military Veteran
James Stewart, born in 1908, was known for his warm manner of speaking and his roles as the “everyman” in films such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and Alfred Hitchcock’s classics. Stewart also served in the U.S. Army and Air Force, eventually becoming a brigadier general. He passed away in 1997.
The Use of AI in Entertainment
Calm is not the only entity using AI to bring deceased entertainers back to life. CD Projekt Red used AI to recreate the voice of a deceased voice actor for their game “Cyberpunk 2077.” The Beatles also released a song featuring AI-generated voices of John Lennon and George Harrison.
Controversy Surrounding AI in Entertainment
While the use of AI to bring back deceased entertainers has its supporters, it also faces criticism. Gamers protested the use of AI by Embark Studios in their first-person shooter game “The Finals.” However, proponents argue that AI technology allows for greater creativity and freshness in content creation.
Hot Take: Reviving Iconic Voices with AI
The use of artificial intelligence to revive the voices of iconic entertainers raises both excitement and concerns. While it offers the opportunity for fans to experience beloved performances once again, it also sparks debates about ethics and authenticity. As technology continues to advance, we can expect more instances of AI resurrecting familiar voices in various forms of media. Whether this trend will be embraced or met with skepticism remains to be seen.
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