Tag: monica Padman

Spotify’s AI Voice Translation Pilot Means Your Favorite Podcasters Might Be Heard in Your Native Language

September 25, 2023

Across cultures, countries, and communities, the stories we share bring us together. And more often than not, it is the voices of the speakers that lend as much weight to the stories as the narratives themselves. For more than 15 years, Spotify’s global platform has empowered creators of all walks to share their work with audiences around the world. At its core, this has been made possible through technology that’s leveraged the power of audio to overcome barriers to access, borders, and distance. But with recent advancements, we’ve been wondering: Are there more ways we can bridge the language gap so that these voices can be heard worldwide?

Today, we’re excited to pilot Voice Translation for podcasts, a groundbreaking feature powered by AI that translates podcasts into additional languages—all in the podcaster’s voice. 


This Spotify-developed tool leverages the latest innovations—one of which is OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology—to match the original speaker’s style, making for a more authentic listening experience that sounds more personal and natural than traditional dubbing. A podcast episode originally recorded in English can now be available in other languages while keeping the speaker’s distinctive speech characteristics.  

As part of the pilot, we’ve worked closely with podcasters Dax Shepard, Monica Padman, Lex Fridman, Bill Simmons, and Steven Bartlett to generate AI-powered voice translations in other languages—including Spanish, French, and German—for a select number of catalog episodes and future episode releases. We’re also looking forward to including other shows, such as Dax Shepard’s eff won with DRS, The Rewatchables from The Ringer, and Trevor Noah’s new original podcast, which launches later this year.

“By matching the creator’s own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before,” says Ziad Sultan, VP of Personalization. “We believe that a thoughtful approach to AI can help build deeper connections between listeners and creators, a key component of Spotify’s mission to unlock the potential of human creativity.”

Voice-translated episodes from pilot creators will be available worldwide to Premium and Free users. We’re starting by releasing an initial bundle of translated episodes in Spanish, with French and German rolling out in the coming days and weeks:

  1. Lex Fridman Podcast – “Interview with Yuval Noah Harari”
  2. Armchair Expert – “Kristen Bell, by the grace of god, returns”
  3. The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett – “Interview with Dr. Mindy Pelz”

We’ll start rolling these out to users on the Now Playing View of supported episodes starting today. Can’t wait and want to hear the episodes right away? Head to the dedicated Voice Translations Hub, which we’ll update with even more voice-translated episodes over the coming weeks and months.

Today is just the beginning. We’re excited to empower creators to bring their storytelling to more listeners across the world. The creator and audience feedback from the pilot will provide important insights for future expansion, iterations, and innovations. As the number of people (100M+) regularly listening to podcasts on Spotify continues to grow, we’ll continue exploring new ways to overcome barriers to storytelling.

Stay tuned to Spotify for Podcasters as we aim to expand access for more creators and languages.

‘Armchair Expert’ Hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman Celebrate 500 Episodes With a Playlist of Their Top 10 Guest Appearances

October 6, 2022

Photo Credit: Michael Friberg

 

Not so long ago, comedian Dax Shepard and producer Monica Padman set out to explore the “messiness of being human.” In doing so, they’ve spent nearly five years promoting personal growth and betterment through their podcast, Armchair Expert. And now, the two friends are about to hit a huge milestone: 500 episodes. 

Lauded for its hilarious spin on the challenges and shortcomings people encounter in their lives, Armchair Expert has become one of the most celebrated podcasts around, landing a spot on numerous “best of” lists and attracting a fan base of devoted “Armcherries.” 

To celebrate their big achievement, Dax and Monica have rounded up the 10 most-memorable episodes they’ve recorded since the start of the podcast in 2018. And with a guest lineup that includes everyone from Matt Damon to Stacy Abrams to Dax’s Mom, it’s a playlist that doesn’t disappoint.

Dax and Monica’s 10 Favorite Episodes

  1. “Dax’s Mom (Laura Labo)”
  2. “Matt Damon” 
  3. “David Sedaris Returns Again”
  4. “Awkwafina”
  5. “Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly)”
  6. “Stacey Abrams”
  7. “Jerod Carmichael”
  8. “Roy Choi (chef)”
  9. “Molly Shannon”
  10. “BJ Novak”

For the Record also sat down with Dax and Monica to discuss the evolution of the show, their most memorable guests, and what lies ahead for Armchair Expert. 

How has the show changed between Episode 1 and Episode 500?

In a nutshell, Monica talks more, Dax talks less (although there’s still room for major improvement on this front). We have also acquired a confidence that has allowed us to throw the game plan out the window more and more. Many things have changed, but still no bathroom door. 

When you think about your favorite episodes that you’ve picked, is there a quality they all share that makes them special?

Yes. Each of these episodes has a profound level of vulnerability from the guest—the kind of trust and openness that is truly humbling. It’s episodes like these that keep us pinching ourselves with gratitude. 

Of the episodes on this list, which one caught you most off guard, or defied your expectations of how the interview was going to unfold?

Dax: It would be Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly). I did not see any of that coming when I first saw him on the schedule. But almost immediately upon meeting him, as I watched him scan his environment/the attic for exits and threats, I knew I was meeting a beautifully tender person that I was going to have a lot in common with.

Monica: For me, it’s Roy Choi. I knew he was an incredible chef, but I was shocked by the complexity of his story and his beautifully soft nature. I thought the whole episode would be about food, but we barely touched on food at all because his life journey was so compelling. 

What’s it like to reach Episode 500 of this podcast? Were you expecting the show to have this level of traction and longevity when you launched it?

Of the many things we didn’t dare dream of, 500 episodes was one of them. I don’t think we’ve ever let our imaginations run away with us, so each milestone has come as a surprise, which has made it infinitely more fun. 

What would you say is the biggest thing you’ve learned about podcasting and interviewing since you started working on the podcast?

Everyone has a story. And if you listen with an open mind to (almost) anyone’s story, you will find yourself moving away from judgment and toward understanding. We’ve also learned that there is always an alternative angle on how to approach an issue. We’ve had many of the smartest people in the world on the show and they often have conflicting opinions. There is absolutely nothing with 100% consensus, which is both liberating and humbling. 

Now that you’ve reached this big milestone, what do you have planned for the show going forward? Are there any new directions you’d like to take it in?

We are already in the middle of taking them, adding more shows under our umbrella and continuing to expand the world. We launched Armchair Anonymous recently—a show that lets us hear insane stories from the very same Armcherries that got us to this milestone. 

Whether you’re new to Armchair Expert or a self-proclaimed Armcherry, catch up with all 500 episodes of the podcast, below.