As technology advances, conversational artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more prevalent in our everyday lives. Character AI is one platform that has gained popularity among users for its ability to create custom bots that can mimic human-like interactions through text-based conversations.
However, the platform takes it a step further by providing a text-to-speech feature that allows users to add personality and depth to their characters. In this post, we will explore how to use Character AI’s text-to-speech feature and provide a ranking of the top 20 English-speaking voices available.
What Is A Character AI Voice?
Character AI is a conversational AI platform that enables businesses and individuals to create chatbots that can engage with users in a natural, conversational manner. Unlike traditional chatbots that rely solely on text-based communication, Character AI allows you to give your bot a voice.
Character AI’s text-to-speech feature is what enables you to add a voice to your chatbot. The platform currently offers over 20 English-speaking voices that you can apply to your character. Each voice has its unique characteristics and attributes, allowing you to choose a voice that best fits your bot’s personality and tone.
While the primary focus of Character AI is text-based communication, adding a voice to your bot opens up a new dimension to the chat experience. It enhances immersion, making it feel like you’re talking to a real person instead of a machine. Additionally, a character voice can make it easier to follow longer conversations, as it reads the messages to you instead of relying on your eyes to read the text.
Why Use A Character Voice?
When it comes to creating a conversational AI experience, the text-based chatbot is a popular choice for many businesses and developers. However, the addition of a character voice to your bot can take your user engagement to the next level.
There are many reasons why you should consider using a character voice in your conversational AI experience. In this article, we’ll explore some of the benefits of using a character voice and how it can improve your user engagement.
- Increased Immersion One of the most significant benefits of using a character voice is the increased level of immersion it can provide. A character voice can make your bot feel more human-like, allowing users to engage in a more natural conversation. This can be especially important if your bot is used for customer service or other business-related interactions.
Imagine you’re chatting with a bot about a product or service you’re interested in purchasing. Without a character voice, the conversation might feel robotic and cold. But, by adding a character voice, the conversation can feel more natural, and the bot can provide more personalized responses to your questions. This can help build trust and loyalty with your customers, leading to increased sales and revenue.
- Improved Accessibility Another reason to consider using a character voice is the improved accessibility it can provide. For users with visual impairments, a text-based chatbot can be difficult to read and navigate. By adding a character voice, users can engage with your bot through voice commands, making it more accessible and easier to use.
Additionally, a character voice can make it easier to follow longer conversations. Reading long messages on a screen can be challenging, especially if you have dyslexia or other reading difficulties. By having the bot read the messages aloud, users can follow the conversation more easily and without straining their eyes.
- Enhanced Personalization A character voice can also help personalize the user experience. By selecting a voice that matches your brand’s personality, you can create a more cohesive experience that resonates with your users. For example, if your brand is known for its playful and fun personality, you might select a character voice that is light-hearted and humorous.
Additionally, a character voice can help humanize your brand. By giving your bot a distinct voice, users can develop a stronger connection with your brand, leading to increased brand loyalty and recognition.
- Greater Engagement Finally, using a character voice can lead to greater user engagement. When users feel like they’re having a conversation with a human-like bot, they’re more likely to engage with the bot and provide more detailed responses. This can lead to more valuable data and insights, which can help you improve your product or service.
Additionally, a character voice can make your bot more fun and enjoyable to use. If your users are having a good time engaging with your bot, they’re more likely to share it with their friends and family, leading to increased brand awareness and exposure.
How to Set Up Voices In Character AI
Step 1: Create or Edit a Character
To set up voices in Character AI, you need to create a character or edit an existing one. If you’re creating a new character, follow the steps below:
- Log in to your Character AI account and click on the “Create New Character” button on the home screen.
- Select the type of chatbot you want to create. You can choose from a variety of options, such as a customer service chatbot, a sales chatbot, or a personal assistant chatbot.
- Choose a name for your chatbot and select a profile picture. You can choose from a variety of pre-made avatars or upload your own.
- Click on the “Create” button to create your chatbot.
If you’re editing an existing character, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Character AI account and select the character you want to edit from the home screen.
- Click on the “Edit” button to open the character editor.
- Make any changes you want to the character’s profile, such as their name or profile picture.
- Click on the “Save” button to save your changes.
Step 2: Edit Details (Advanced)
Once you have created or opened a character, you need to access the “Edit Details” screen to set up their voice. Follow these steps:
- Click on the “Edit Details” button on the character editor screen.
- Scroll down to the “Voice” section and select a voice from the dropdown menu. You can sample each voice by pressing the blue play button next to its name.
- Once you have selected a voice, click on the “Save” button to save your changes.
Step 3: Enable Character Voice
Now that you have selected a voice for your character, you need to enable their voice during conversations. Follow these steps:
- Click on the stacked dots at the top right of the character editor screen.
- Select the “Enable Character Voice” option from the dropdown menu.
- Your character’s voice is now enabled. Whenever someone interacts with your chatbot, they will hear your character’s voice instead of a text-to-speech engine.
Best Practices for Setting Up Character AI Voices
Now that you know how to set up voices in Character AI, let’s go over some best practices to help you get the most out of this feature.
- Choose the Right Voice for Your Chatbot
Character AI has over 20 English-speaking voices to choose from, so it’s important to select the right one for your chatbot. Think about the personality and tone you want your chatbot to have and choose a voice that matches that. For example, if you’re creating a customer service chatbot, you might want to choose a friendly, approachable voice.
- Test Different Voices
Don’t be afraid to test out different voices to see which one works best for your chatbot. Sample each voice by pressing the blue play button next to its name and listen to how it sounds in different contexts. You might be surprised at how different a voice can sound depending on the words and phrases it is saying.
- Consider Different Languages
If you’re creating a chatbot for a global audience, you might want to consider using a different language for your chatbot’s voice. Character AI supports text-to-speech in 16 different languages, including Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish.
Best Character AI Voices
As an experienced user of Character AI, I have had the opportunity to sample and rank over 20 available voices in English. I have considered quality, realism, natural flow, and versatility of each voice when creating the rankings.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the best Character AI voices.
Davis
Davis is my all-time favorite character AI voice, and it is one of the best voices available. This voice belongs to a mature man and comes with a tone that is assertive, authoritative, and confident. The voice has a depth that lends it a unique personality, and it’s perfect for bots that need to command respect and authority.
Good Female Voice
If you’re looking for a natural-sounding female voice, then the Good Female Voice is your best bet. The voice has a conversational tone that is friendly and engaging, and it comes with an accent-neutral sound. This voice is perfect for bots that need to sound human-like and approachable.
Ryan
Ryan is another English-speaking male voice that deserves a spot on this list. It has a British accent that lends it an air of sophistication, and it’s perfect for bots that need to sound posh or classy. The voice has a natural flow that makes it easy to listen to, and its versatility means that it can work well in various scenarios.
Sonia
Sonia is a British accent female voice that is perfect for bots that need to sound friendly and inviting. The voice has a natural-sounding flow that is easy to listen to, and it can work well in various scenarios. This voice is perfect for bots that need to sound casual and engaging.
Tony (friendly)
Tony is a casual male voice that is perfect for bots that need to sound friendly and approachable. The voice has a tone that is conversational and easy to listen to, and it’s perfect for bots that need to engage users in a relaxed and comfortable manner.
Anime Girl
If you’re looking for a voice that’s young and playful, then the Anime Girl voice is perfect for you. This voice has a high-pitched sound that lends it a unique personality, and it’s perfect for bots that need to sound youthful and energetic. However, this voice might not be the best option for bots that need to sound professional or serious.
Barbara
Barbara is a mature female voice that is perfect for bots that need to sound experienced and authoritative. The voice has a natural-sounding flow that is easy to listen to, and it’s perfect for bots that need to command respect and attention. However, this voice might not be the best option for bots that need to sound friendly or approachable.
Chippy
Chippy is a high-pitched voice that is perfect for bots that need to sound playful and youthful. The voice has a unique sound that is perfect for bots that need to engage younger audiences. However, this voice might not be the best option for bots that need to sound professional or serious.
Davis (deep)
Davis (deep) is another voice belonging to a mature man that deserves a spot on this list. This voice has a deep tone that lends it a unique personality, and it’s perfect for bots that need to sound assertive and confident. However, this voice might not be the best option for bots that need to sound friendly or approachable.
Default
Default is a casual female voice that is perfect for bots that need to sound natural and conversational. The voice has a tone that is friendly and approachable, and it’s perfect for bots that need to engage users in a relaxed and comfortable manner. However, this voice might not be the best option for bots that need to sound professional or serious.
| Character AI Voice | Quality | Description |
| Davis | 5 | Mature Man |
| Good Female Voice | 5 | Natural Female |
| Ryan | 4 | British Accent Male |
| Sonia | 4 | British Accent Female |
| Tony (friendly) | 4 | Casual Male |
| Anime Girl | 3 | Young Female |
| Barbara | 3 | Mature Female |
| Chippy | 3 | High Pitched |
| Davis (deep) | 3 | Low Pitch Male |
| Default | 3 | Casual Female |
| God | 3 | Low Pitch Male |
| Guy | 3 | Casual Male |
| Jane | 3 | Nerdy Female |
| Jenny (shouting) | 3 | Slow And Loud |
| Jenny (terrified) | 3 | Shaky And Scared |
| Sara | 3 | Female Natural |
| Tony (angry) | 3 | Nasally Male |
| Are you feeling ok? | 2 | Monotone Female |
| Jenny | 2 | Female Female |
| Narration (f) | 2 | Formal Female |
| Narration (m) | 2 | Formal Male |
Character AI Speech to Text Microphone
Character AI also offers a speech-to-text function, which is equally impressive. With this feature, users can speak into their device’s microphone, and Character AI will translate their voice into text. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the speech-to-text function and explore how it works.
Using the Speech-to-Text Function in Character AI
The speech-to-text function in Character AI is incredibly easy to use. To get started, users must first enable the feature in their settings. Once enabled, users can click on the microphone icon in the chat window to activate the feature. When the microphone icon is clicked, the user’s device will start recording their voice. As they speak, their words will be transcribed into text and displayed in the chat window.
The speech-to-text feature in Character AI is incredibly accurate, and it can recognize a wide range of accents and dialects. This makes it an excellent tool for users who may struggle to type or those who prefer to speak rather than type. Additionally, the feature is incredibly versatile, and it can be used in a range of different settings. For example, users could use the feature to dictate emails, write essays, or even compose social media posts.
Enhancing Conversations with Speech-to-Text
The speech-to-text feature in Character AI is an excellent tool for enhancing conversations. When used in conjunction with the text-to-speech function, users can create incredibly engaging and immersive conversational experiences. For example, users could create a custom bot with a unique voice and use the speech-to-text function to allow users to speak to the bot in their own voice. This could create a highly personalized conversational experience and help to build deeper connections between users and the bot.
The speech-to-text function can also be used to enhance accessibility. For users with disabilities or those who struggle with typing, the speech-to-text function can be an incredibly valuable tool. By allowing users to speak to the bot rather than typing, the feature can help to remove barriers and make the conversational experience more inclusive.
Finally, the speech-to-text function can be used to enhance productivity. By allowing users to speak rather than type, the feature can help to speed up the writing process and improve efficiency. This could be particularly valuable for users who need to write large amounts of text, such as students, writers, or journalists.
Custom Character AI Voices
As we previously discussed, Character AI offers over 20 English-speaking voices that you can use for your AI chatbot. However, if you want to take your bot’s personality and customization to the next level, you might want to consider creating your own custom Character AI voice.
Custom Character AI voices allow you to tailor the voice of your chatbot to fit your brand or your specific needs. By creating a custom voice, you can ensure that your bot sounds unique and authentic, which can help to improve the overall user experience.
So, how do you create a custom Character AI voice? Here’s what you need to know:
- Record your voice
The first step in creating a custom Character AI voice is to record your own voice. You can do this using a high-quality microphone and recording software, or you can use Character AI’s speech-to-text feature to record your voice directly within the platform.
When recording your voice, make sure to speak clearly and naturally. You want to capture the nuances of your speech patterns, such as your intonation and pacing, as these will help to make your custom voice sound more authentic.
- Upload your recordings to Character AI
Once you have recorded your voice, you need to upload your recordings to Character AI. To do this, go to the “Create/Edit Character” screen and select the “Custom Voice” option.
From here, you can upload your recordings and use Character AI’s tools to adjust the pitch, speed, and other settings to create the perfect voice for your chatbot.
- Test and refine your custom voice
After creating your custom voice, it’s important to test it out and refine it as needed. Have your bot engage in conversations with users and listen to how your custom voice sounds in action.
If you notice any areas where the voice could be improved, such as the pacing or tone, you can go back into Character AI and make adjustments to your custom voice.
- Publish and use your custom voice
Once you are happy with your custom voice, it’s time to publish it and start using it in your bot. Your custom voice will now be available for you to select in the “Edit Details” section of your Character AI bot.
By creating a custom Character AI voice, you can add a new level of personalization and authenticity to your bot. Whether you want your bot to sound like a celebrity or to match your brand’s tone of voice, a custom voice can help you achieve your goals.
Tips for Creating a Great Custom Voice
If you are interested in creating a custom Character AI voice, here are some tips to help you get started:
- Be authentic
The key to creating a great custom voice is authenticity. Don’t try to sound like someone else or put on an artificial voice. Instead, focus on capturing your own unique speech patterns and personality.
- Consider your brand
If you are creating a custom voice for a business or brand, make sure to consider your brand’s tone of voice. Your custom voice should be consistent with your brand’s messaging and values.
- Test and refine
As with any aspect of your AI chatbot, it’s important to test and refine your custom voice to ensure that it is effective and engaging. Pay attention to user feedback and make adjustments as needed.
- Use multiple voices
If you have a complex bot with multiple characters, consider creating custom voices for each character. This can help to differentiate between the characters and add more depth to your conversations.
Conclusion
Creating a custom Character AI voice can be a fun and rewarding way to add a new level of personalization and authenticity to your AI chatbot. By following these tips and using Character AI’s tools, you can create a custom voice that perfectly matches your bot’s personality and goals.
