GoKawiilScientists build 'speech clock' that estimates biological age from voice patterns
Researchers led by neuroscientist Agustín Ibáñez at Adolfo Ibáñez University created an algorithm that analyzes hundreds of vocal traits, including pitch and speaking speed, from four-minute recordings to estimate a person's age. The team found that a large gap between this speech-predicted age and a person's actual age was strongly linked to cognitive problems associated with conditions like dementia, according to findings published in Science Advances.
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Because the tool relies only on short voice recordings rather than costly brain scans or blood tests, it could make cognitive-decline screening more accessible in low-resource settings, according to outside expert Jed Meltzer of the University of Toronto. The approach adds voice to a growing family of 'ageing clocks' based on biological markers like brain imaging or DNA methylation, potentially offering a cheap early-warning signal for accelerated ageing or dementia risk.
- A new 'speech clock' estimates biological age using vocal features like pitch and talking speed.
- A larger gap between speech-predicted age and chronological age correlated with cognitive issues linked to dementia.
- The method could enable low-cost, non-invasive ageing and cognitive-decline screening compared with brain scans or blood tests.
Source: nature.com — Conroy, 2026-09-30
Published there as: “AI ‘speech clock’ assesses how fast you’re ageing from your voice”
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