Short definition:
AI Text-to-Speech (TTS) is a technology that converts written text into spoken audio using synthetic voices — often powered by AI to sound natural and human-like.
In Plain Terms
AI TTS tools let you turn any block of text into lifelike speech, spoken by a virtual voice. These voices can now sound friendly, expressive, multilingual — even brand-specific — thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence.
This means you can “speak” your website, app, documents, or training materials — without recording a human voice.
Real-World Analogy
It’s like hiring a professional narrator — but they’re available 24/7, can read anything instantly, and speak dozens of languages or tones on demand.
Why It Matters for Business
- Improves accessibility
AI TTS helps users with visual impairments or reading difficulties engage with your content. - Enables voice experiences
Add spoken instructions, audio onboarding, or voice interfaces to your apps, services, or devices. - Saves on voice production costs
Instead of recording and editing human voiceovers, you can generate them instantly — and update them just as easily.
Real Use Case
A language-learning app uses AI TTS to pronounce words and sentences in multiple accents. The app dynamically generates the audio — no need to record each word manually.
Another example: An HR platform uses TTS to read onboarding material aloud in a warm, clear voice — improving accessibility and reducing drop-offs.
Related Concepts
- Speech Synthesis (The broader term for generating artificial voice)
- Voice Cloning (AI TTS that mimics a specific person’s voice)
- Multimodal AI (Combining voice, text, and images in a single user experience)
- Conversational AI (Chatbots or assistants that “speak” back via TTS)
- AI Personalization(Some TTS tools let users customize tone, emotion, or style)
