Storytel offers a more personalized audiobook experience – with first class AI narrators
Storytel is launching the Voice Switcher in Sweden – an innovative feature that allows audiobook listeners to switch seamlessly between different narrations.
Using new technology, the original human narrator is supplemented by three different first-class AI-generated voices, for the first time optimized for reading fiction.
– This launch is more than just a feature. It's a statement of our leadership in innovation and our dedication to enhancing the audiobook experience for our listeners worldwide, says Johan Ståhle, Chief Product Officer at Storytel.
Storytel, one of the world’s largest subscription services for audiobook streaming, is continuously striving to create the best customer experience, both by providing a captivating and versatile content catalog and a best in class streaming platform. The audiobook pioneer now launches the Voice Switcher, an innovative feature with three synthetic narrator voices to complement the original human narration on 25 selected titles in Swedish.
One of the selectable voices is an AI version of Stefan Sauk, a well-known and appreciated actor and narrator in Sweden, who is lending his voice to the Voice Switcher.
– Storytel’s Voice Switcher is an innovation aimed at addressing a fundamental audiobook problem: Different users have different preferences regarding the narrator's voice. A whopping 89% of Storytel's listeners have at some point abandoned a book not because the book was bad, but because the voice did not suit them. Innovating a solution to that problem benefits the customers, the authors and the publishers, says Johan Ståhle, Chief Product Officer at Storytel.
Do you prefer a female or a male voice? A dramatic or more neutral narration? The Voice Switcher is a new feature that allows the user to customize their listening experience by being able to switch between narrators to find one that suits them better.
– AI narrations are already here to stay, not as a replacement for the human voice, but as a tool to enhance the listening experience. We are very excited for our customers to try this feature out and experience the incredible quality of our Swedish synthetic voices. We did a test amongst people on the streets of Stockholm before the launch, and the results are mind blowing: 9 out of 10 could not tell which narration was human, says Johan Ståhle, and adds:
– It will of course always be clearly evident to the customers whether they are listening to an AI voice or a human narrator, but the test is a nice confirmation that we have developed synthetic voices of the highest quality.
The Voice Switcher is made possible by a unique technology for generating AI voices that Storytel has developed in collaboration with ElevenLabs. The new Swedish voices significantly enhance the quality of AI-generated voices, and it's the first time they are optimized for reading fiction.
The Voice Switcher was successfully launched in Poland in late 2023, following the beta test of the feature on five selected Storytel Original titles in English last summer.
The Swedish AI voices in the Voice Switcher are:
Carin, a calm and mature female voice
Amanda, a young and energetic female voice
Erik, a soft and deep male voice
Martin, a middle aged, straightforward male voice
Stefan, an AI generated version of the actor Stefan Sauk, who has a strong and dramatic voice
Samples of the voices (in Swedish) are attached to this press release.
Interview requests, contact therese.lindstrom@storytel.com.
Journalist, booktoker or working with coverage of audiobooks? Apply for access to Storytel's Nordic press service to make sure that you don't miss any of our news.
For more local information on the Swedish Voice Switcher launch, please visit Storytel's Swedish press room.
Contacts
Therese Lindström
PR Manager SwedenLatest news
Storytel Releases Its First Fully AI-Produced Audiobook New Horizon
What happens when AI is tasked with writing a book? Does the result provide a satisfying reading experience?Storytel initiated a project in the spring of 2024 with the purpose of exploring how generative AI can be utilized in the creative process, identifying available AI tools to streamline workflows, and gaining a deeper understanding of the quality of the final product. AI would be responsible for writing, translating, narrating, and illustrating a complete work. The framework: a futuristic novel about love and relationships in an AI-driven world, aimed primarily at a young audience.
Nobel Laureate in Literature Trends on Storytel
Immediately after the Swedish Academy announced that South Korean author Han Kang is this year's Nobel laureate in Literature, there was a surge in demand for her titles on Storytel.On October 10, the same day as the announcement, listening and reading of the author's titles increased by 2700 percent in the markets where they are available. On the same day, searches for the author's name spiked by over 100,000 percent compared to average levels.The most popular Han Kang book on Storytel is The Vegetarian, originally published in 2007. It entered the top ten most listened-to and read titles on the platform in several markets where it is available in the days following the announcement. In Finland, for example, it reached sixth place, and in Italy and Egypt, it climbed all the way to first place. Han Kang, 53, was awarded the Nobel prize for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”. Han is the first South Korean author to win the literature prize, and just the 18th woman out of the 117 prizes awarded since 1901.
Storytel Announces App Update in Response to Apple’s New iOS Launch
Storytel is excited to announce that its app will be updated to align with Apple’s new operating system. The update, launching Monday September 16, will enhance user experience by integrating new features and optimizing performance for Apple users.
It Ends with Us climbs Storytel’s charts post-movie premiere
Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends with Us has seen a resurgence on Storytel following the premiere of the film adaptation. Since the movie's debut in August, there has been a notable spike in demand for the original audiobook.
Becoming Sherlock 2 reel: Listen to the local adaptations of Storytel's new Sherlock Holmes adventure
The second installment of the Becoming Sherlock audiobook series is finally about to be released. Becoming Sherlock: The Irregulars, is written by the acclaimed thriller author Sarah J Naughton, under the creative direction of the bestselling TV, film, and novel writer Anthony Horowitz.Becoming Sherlock is released on multiple markets, and exclusively on Storytel.
Storytel celebrates Sandemo's 100th birthday with an exclusive prequel to The Legend of the Ice People
Margit Sandemo's beloved romance series, The Legend of the Ice People, receives a standalone continuation. Norwegian author Hilde Susan Jægtnes has written a prequel to the bestselling series, exclusively released on Storytel Sweden this summer.The news comes on World Book Day, also the day when Margit Sandemo would have turned 100.
Authors and narrators celebrated at six Storytel Awards galas
The Storytel Awards season has concluded. Authors and narrators have been celebrated and honored at the galas in Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, and Amsterdam. More than 60 statuettes have been awarded to the storytellers behind the stories that moved, informed, and entertained the audiobook listeners the most in 2023.
Valentine’s: People are searching for love on Storytel
On Valentine’s Day, Storytel listeners are searching for love. Literally, that is. The words “kärlek” (“love” in Swedish) and “romance” appear several times as often on February 14 than on any other day in the search field in the audiobook service.
Bestseller One day gains new success on Storytel 15 years after the release
One day, David Nicholls' acclaimed best-selling novel from 2009, is experiencing new successes on Storytel. The story, which follows Dexter and Emma on a specific day each year over twenty years, starting with their university graduation in the summer of 1988, premiered as a series on Netflix earlier this week. This seems to have resulted in a tremendous demand to listen to the original story.
Storytel Finland celebrates Sherlock with a murder mystery event
Storytel Finland arranged a murder mystery event to celebrate the release of the The Red Circle, the long-awaited first part of Storytel’s trilogy Becoming Sherlock. Journalists, influencers and audiobook listeners were invited to a night inspired by the new Sherlock Holmes story.
The Storytel Awards season is on!
The public voting in the largest popular audiobook prize in the Nordics, the Netherlands and Belgium has started. Audiobook listeners can now start voting for their favorite titles of 2023.
#Booktok inspires young audiobook listeners to discover their next story
#Booktok helped guiding Storytel's listeners to their next audiobook experience during 2023. The social media trend, where book lovers share reviews and inspiration, has sparked and interest in literature, especially amongst young readers. And in 2023 Booktok was the most used tag on Storytel in the Nordics.
Icelandic Storytel Original Blood Mare nominated to prestigious award
Blood Mare, and Icelandic Storytel Original published this August, has been nominated to the prestigious crime fiction award The Blood Drop.
Storytel launches VoiceSwitcher feature
The Storytel VoiceSwitcher has reached its next chapter. In November the initial launch in English was followed by the first AI narration in a local language: Polish. Early next year the feature will be launched in Swedish and Danish.
Storytel releases the first part of a brand new Sherlock Holmes adventure
The world's most iconic and beloved detective is ready for new adventures, in the long-awaited first part of Storytel’s trilogy Becoming Sherlock, The Red Circle.The story takes place in a future where London is decayed. Sherlock Holmes wakes up from unconsciousness to the news of a plane crash with hundreds of victims in the middle of the city. He doesn’t know who he is, but his detection skills are extraordinary.The Red Circle will be released exclusively on Storytel on December 7.
