Spotify has started accepting audiobooks narrated by artificial intelligence (AI) software.
The platform, which boasts 246 million paid subscribers, has said the move will open the doors for more authors and expand their reach.
Spotify are using ElevenLabs – a start-up founded by two Polish entrepreneurs, developing AI-powered audio tools to create synthetic voices.
It is seen as a cost-effective way to create “high quality” digitally narrated audiobooks.
Using the company’s AI software, authors can have their books narrated in numerous languages for distribution on Spotify.
In a statement Spotify said: "We’re excited to begin accepting audiobooks from ElevenLabs, an AI software company that provides easy-to-use, high-quality voice narration technology.
"For authors looking for a cost-effective way to create high-quality audiobooks, digital voice narration by ElevenLabs is a great option.
"Authors can use the ElevenLabs platform to narrate their audiobooks in 29 languages, with complete control over voice and intonation."
This, however, is not the first time Spotify has begun accepting digitally narrated audiobooks.
The company’s audiobook distribution platform Findaway Voices previously partnered with Google Play Books for the same in 2023.
To help distinguish between human and AI narration, digitally narrated audiobooks will be marked both in the audiobook’s metadata as well as in the book description.
ElevenLabs provides users with 10 minutes of “ultra high quality” text to speech per month for free. However, the platform has a number of paid versions, including a “creator” plan, which costs $22 a month and provides 100 minutes of text to speech.
The tech allows users to hear the voices of late Hollywood icons like Judy Garland and James Dean narrating books, articles, and other digital content.
Earlier this year, ElevenLabs raised $180m in a Series C funding round, increasing its valuation to more than $3bn.
It has tripled its valuation from 2024, when it raised $80m and was valued at over $1bn.
To date, ElevenLabs has raised a total of $281m across four rounds since its founding in 2022.
They say they now plan to expand their R&D, creating more expressive and controllable voice AI, as well as expanding its tools for developers and businesses.
In just two years, the start-up has created “1,000 years of audio content”, it said.
The company, which was founded in 2022, works with major companies spread across various sectors, including Nvidia, ESPN, The New Yorker and Harper Collins, as well as AMGI Studios.
