PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Before last summer, Alexis “Lexi” Bogan’s voice was vibrant. She enjoyed singing Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan songs in the car, laughing often whether managing preschoolers or debating politics by a fire pit.
In high school, she sang soprano in the chorus. Then, her voice disappeared. In August, doctors removed a life-threatening brain tumor near her brain stem. After weeks of recovery and difficulty speaking, Bogan’s speech remains impaired. Friends, family, and strangers struggle to understand her.
In April, the 21-year-old regained a version of her voice — not her original, but an AI-generated clone from a phone app. Trained on a 15-second clip of her teenage voice, the AI recreates her speech, allowing her to type messages and have them spoken aloud instantly.
AI voice-cloning technology, while promising, raises concerns about potential misuse, including scams and privacy violations. However, for Bogan and doctors at Rhode Island’s Lifespan hospital, the benefits outweigh the risks.
Bogan is among the first to benefit from OpenAI’s new Voice Engine, potentially paving the way for others with speech impairments due to strokes, cancer, or other conditions. Drs. Rohaid Ali and Fatima Mirza, both residents at Brown University, collaborated on the project, seeing it as a breakthrough in medical technology.
Bogan’s journey began with symptoms last summer, leading to surgery at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The tumor’s removal left her with impaired vocal cords and tongue muscles, affecting her ability to eat and speak clearly.
Despite ongoing speech therapy, Bogan struggled with communication until Lifespan hospital introduced her to OpenAI’s technology. Her AI voice, derived from a brief recording of a cooking demonstration, has significantly improved her daily interactions.
Encouraged by Bogan’s progress, Lifespan hospital plans to expand the technology to benefit more patients globally. OpenAI, cautious of misuse, is developing safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of its Voice Engine.
Bogan, eager to help refine the technology, uses her AI voice daily, providing feedback to enhance its functionality. Her story inspires optimism about the future of AI in healthcare, despite ethical concerns surrounding its use.
