Two undergrads built an AI speech model to rival NotebookLM

A pair of undergrads, neither with extensive AI expertise, say that they’ve created an openly available AI model that can generate podcast-style clips similar to Google’s NotebookLM. The market for synthetic speech tools is vast and growing. ElevenLabs is one of the largest players, but there’s no shortage of challengers (see PlayAI, Sesame, and so on). Investors believe that these tools have immense potential. According to PitchBook, startups developing voice AI tech raised over $398 million in VC funding last year. Toby Kim, one of the Korea-based co-founders of Nari Labs, the group behind the newly released model, said that he and his fellow co-founder started learning about speech AI three months ago. Inspired by NotebookLM, they wanted to create a model that offered more control over generated voices and “freedom in the script.” Kim says they used Google’s TPU Research Cloud program, which provides researchers with free access to the company’s TPU AI chips, to train Nari’s mode ... Read full article.