OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has introduced its latest artificial intelligence tool known as Voice Engine. This innovative tool has the capability to replicate real human voices by utilizing a 15-second sample of someone speaking. OpenAI recently shared samples from early tests, demonstrating how users can input a paragraph of text and have it read in the AI-generated voice.

According to OpenAI, this text-to-voice tool empowered by AI can have various applications such as aiding in translation, providing reading assistance for children, or assisting individuals who have lost their ability to speak. However, there are concerns among skeptics that this technology could potentially be misused for spreading disinformation or facilitating scams.

OpenAI acknowledges the serious risks associated with generating speech that closely resembles people’s voices, particularly in an election year. In a blog post, the company emphasized the need for significant changes as AI-generated audio becomes more accessible. Although OpenAI does not have immediate plans to release Voice Engine to the public, it recognizes the importance of phasing out voice-based authentication for bank accounts, among other measures.

AT&T, the telecommunications giant, has launched an investigation into a significant data leak affecting the personal information of 73 million current and former customers. The leaked data, which includes Social Security numbers, surfaced on the dark web approximately two weeks ago. While the source of the leak remains under scrutiny, AT&T is taking proactive measures to address the situation.

In a press release at 30-03-2023, the Telecommunication company said “released on the dark web approximately two weeks ago, and includes personal information such as Social Security numbers.”

The company has emphasised that there is currently no evidence of unauthorised access to its systems, and the leak has not had a material impact on its operations. However, in response to the breach, AT&T has reset millions of customer account passwords as a precautionary measure.

AT&T is committed to communicating transparently with affected customers and has pledged to offer credit where applicable. It is urging customers to remain vigilant and proactive in monitoring their accounts and credit reports for any unusual activity. Additionally, the company will provide credit monitoring services at its expense to affected individuals.

While the leaked data appears to date back to 2019 or earlier, it does not contain financial information or specific call history details. The breach affects approximately 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.

As part of its response efforts, AT&T is reaching out to customers to prompt them to reset their account passcodes. The company remains focused on safeguarding customer data and ensuring the security and integrity of its systems moving forward.

Get ready to revolutionize your podcast experience with Apple’s latest update. Say hello to transcripts, a groundbreaking feature that aims to make podcasts more accessible and captivating for all users.

With transcripts, you now have the power to read the entire text of each episode, allowing you to effortlessly search for specific words or phrases and seamlessly navigate through the content. As you listen to the episode, every word is highlighted, immersing you in the experience like never before.

Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy & Initiatives, couldn’t contain her excitement about this launch. She expressed, “By introducing transcripts on Apple Podcasts, we are taking a step further in our commitment to creating products and services that cater to everyone.” This move perfectly aligns with Apple’s dedication to inclusivity and accessibility across all its platforms.

The benefits of transcripts are truly endless. Now, you can catch every single word spoken by your favourite podcast hosts, learn new languages more effectively, and easily refer back to any important facts mentioned in episodes. Accessing transcripts is a breeze, simply locate them in the bottom-left corner of the Now Playing screen.

Apple has carefully designed transcripts with accessibility in mind, ensuring a user-friendly font and colour contrast that guarantees readability for all users, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

At present, transcripts can be accessed for podcasts in English, French, Spanish, and German on iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4. While transcripts do not offer translations between languages, they serve as a valuable tool for enhancing your podcast experience.

For creators who prefer to provide their own transcripts, options are available through RSS tags or Apple Podcasts Connect for subscriber episodes. Transcripts will be automatically generated for new episodes upon publication, and there are plans to transcribe previously released episodes over time.

Apple is truly revolutionizing the podcasting world with the introduction of transcripts. Get ready to dive into a whole new level of accessibility and engagement with your favourite podcasts.