The Impossible Bedtime Story: How Respeecher and ProLiteracy Empower Parents with AI

Literacy is one of the keys to a prosperous future. But how could voice cloning help people with lower rates of literacy? As it turns out, Respeecher’s technology has the power to change lives in disaffected parts of the world. That’s why they embarked on a touching project in partnership with ProLiteracy Worldwide. We’d like to introduce Felicia, a mother of four who cannot read or write. Her incredible story inspired Respeecher to use its groundbreaking voice cloning technology to reach children in need of a bedtime story.

The Challenge

Surprisingly, in the United States alone, there are approximately 43 million low-literate adults, with a staggering 773 million worldwide. By partnering with ProLiteracy, Respeecher was declaring war on these statistics of low literacy rates. During this initiative, we took a keen interest in individuals struggling to read and write, leaving their children without the cherished experience of bedtime stories. Backed by research showing that parental involvement in reading plays a significant role in influencing a child's future success, we had all the motivation we needed to press forward.

To tackle this challenge, ProLiteracy Worldwide joined hands with creative agency Droga5, production company SMUGGLER, technology partner Accenture Song, and Found Objects. With Respeecher’s expertise in voice cloning technology, empowering parents, regardless of their literacy level, would be possible. Parents in disaffected parts of the world would finally be able to narrate stories in their own voices and share the magic of storytelling with their children.

The Solution

We were particularly interested in Felicia’s story, a mother of four who was actively engaged in literacy programs at Neuhaus, a ProLiteracy member organization. We began the process by creating base recordings using a voice actor narrating various children's books. These recordings served as the foundation, or as we call it, the "source voice," for recreating Felicia's voice.

Next, Droga5 and SMUGGLER recorded Felicia while she shared her life story with us. She took us through the different events of her childhood, the opportunities she wasn’t able to pursue, and her newfound determination to learn to read and write. Leveraging machine learning, we were able to match Felicia's voice model with pre-recorded children's book narratives, resulting in an authentic recreation of Felicia's voice, only now with the ability to recite classic bedtime stories.

The Impact

After years of being a loving mother, Felicia was finally able to share storytime with her boys, thanks to Respeecher's innovative technology. Her emotional reaction to hearing her voice and the stories she could now share was a testament to the project's success. Felicia's newfound ability to read to her children not only enriched their lives but also provided her with the motivation to continue her own literacy journey through the dedicated courses of ProLiteracy.

The success of Felicia's story prompted the project team to consider broader possibilities. What if low-literate parents could experience the same joy and connection? What if, with just a few taps on a computer, parents from diverse backgrounds could record their voices, choose a children's book, and create a personalized storytelling experience for their children? This vision perfectly aligns with ProLiteracy's mission to make the reading of bedtime stories possible for every parent who wants it.

Respeecher's collaboration with ProLiteracy Worldwide, Droga5, SMUGGLER, Accenture Song, and Found Objects has not only given Felicia a reading voice but also illuminated the path for countless other parents and children facing literacy challenges. Parents are now able to harness advanced voice cloning technology. Now, regardless of their reading level, they can share the joy of storytelling with their children. The faster we can get this technology where it is needed, the sooner parents can foster literacy, empathy, and success in future generations. To learn more and support this heartwarming initiative, please visit ProLiteracy.org. Together, we can make the difference.