Netflix to Use AI Voice Technology in New Reality Competition
Netflix 將在新款實境競賽節目中使用 AI 語音技術
Introduction
Netflix has announced that its new competition series, 'Wonka’s The Golden Ticket,' will premiere on September 23. The show will use AI-generated audio to recreate the voice of the late actor Gene Wilder.
Netflix 宣布其新款競賽系列節目《Wonka’s The Golden Ticket》將於 9 月 23 日首播。該節目將使用 AI 生成的音訊來重現已故演員 Gene Wilder 的聲音。
Main Body
This project is a result of a partnership between Netflix and ElevenLabs, a company specializing in AI voice synthesis. This technology allows them to recreate famous voices, a method that has also been used for figures like Michael Caine and Stan Lee. Gene Wilder's family gave formal permission for this, and Karen Wilder emphasized that the show is a way to introduce the actor's work to a modern audience. The series follows twelve contestants and their partners as they compete for a large prize, ending with a two-part finale on September 30. Additionally, actor Rusty Goffe will return to his role as an Oompa Loompa.
這個項目是 Netflix 與專門從事 AI 語音合成的公司 ElevenLabs 合作的成果。這項技術讓他們能夠重現名人聲音，這種方法先前也曾用於 Michael Caine 和 Stan Lee 等人物。Gene Wilder 的家人已正式予以許可，Karen Wilder 強調該節目是一種將這位演員的作品介紹給現代觀眾的方式。該系列將追蹤 12 位參賽者及其拍檔爭奪大獎的過程，並於 9 月 30 日以兩集完結篇收尾。此外，演員 Rusty Goffe 將回歸其 Oompa Loompa 的角色。
This move follows a wider trend in the entertainment industry to use AI to bring back deceased performers, such as the use of Val Kilmer's voice in the film 'As Deep as the Grave.' However, these developments have caused tension within the industry. The actors union, SAG-AFTRA, has asserted that using fully AI-generated actors threatens job security and reduces the value of human talent. Furthermore, public opinion is divided. While the actor's estate is happy, some critics argue that this project contradicts Gene Wilder's own past views, as he was often skeptical about commercial remakes of the Wonka stories.
此舉遵循了娛樂業使用 AI 讓已故表演者「回歸」的更廣泛趨勢，例如在電影《As Deep as the Grave》中使用 Val Kilmer 的聲音。然而，這些發展已在業界引起緊張局勢。演員工會 SAG-AFTRA 主張，使用完全由 AI 生成的演員會威脅就業保障並降低人類才華的價值。此外，公眾意見分歧。雖然演員的遺產管理方表示支持，但部分評論家認為此項目與 Gene Wilder 生前的觀點相矛盾，因為他過去對 Wonka 故事的商業翻拍經常持懷疑態度。
Conclusion
The series will be released on September 23, representing a major use of licensed AI voice technology in a popular reality TV show.
該系列將於 9 月 23 日推出，代表了在流行實境節目中大規模使用授權 AI 語音技術的一次重要嘗試。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'Complex Connection' Jump
At the A2 level, you use simple words like and, but, and because. To reach B2, you need to use Connectors of Contrast and Addition to make your writing sound more professional and fluid.
🔍 The Linguistic Upgrade
Look at these specific transitions from the text. Instead of using basic words, the author uses 'B2-level' markers:
- "Additionally" (Instead of and). Use this when you are adding a new, important piece of information.
- "However" (Instead of but). Use this to start a new sentence that contradicts the previous one.
- "Furthermore" (Instead of also). Use this to build a stronger argument or add a more serious point.
🛠️ Practical Application: How to Swap
| A2 Style (Basic) | B2 Style (Fluent) |
|---|---|
| AI can copy voices and it is fast. | AI can copy voices. Additionally, it is fast. |
| The family is happy but the union is not. | The family is happy. However, the union is not. |
| It takes jobs and it is scary. | It threatens job security. Furthermore, it reduces human value. |
💡 Pro-Tip for the Transition
Notice that However, Additionally, and Furthermore are usually followed by a comma ( , ). This is a key marker of B2 academic writing. If you start a sentence with these words and add a comma, you immediately sound more advanced to a listener or examiner.