Disabled Peer Unveils AI-Generated Voice in UK Parliament

A disabled member of the House of Lords has introduced an AI-generated voice, dubbed 'Jane Mark II,' to deliver her speeches during parliamentary debates. Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, a leading disability rights campaigner who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy as an infant, used advanced AI voice generation software from ElevenLabs to recreate her voice from past radio interviews.

The technology allows Baroness Campbell to contribute to debates, using a voice that sounds like her from several years ago, before her speech was compromised by the deterioration of her condition. The House of Lords' Procedures Committee approved this unique accommodation, marking a significant technological advancement for parliamentary inclusion.

Baroness Campbell explained that she had previously sought permission to have her personal assistant read her speeches, as speaking had become increasingly difficult. However, she always desired to use her own voice. Discovering ElevenLabs' software, which could generate her voice from recordings such as her 2012 appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, provided a solution. She described the generated voice as "very much me" and "an echo chamber" of her words, sounding clearer and younger than her current natural voice.

The AI voice is delivered through a small speaker placed on her lap, operated by her assistant. Baroness Campbell expressed her gratitude to the Procedures Committee, stating that this "cutting-edge technology" will enable her to contribute to debates in her "own once clear voice." She hopes this development showcases "inclusion in democracy at its best" to the world. The innovation was employed during a debate on Labour's Health Bill.