Creators maintain control over where and how their voice is used, he said, with the ability to approve specific licensing scenarios for ads that run outside SiriusXM’s platform, review and approve each ad before use. This level of oversight, Gottdiener noted, is missing from many other AI voice tools, and aims to address industry concerns over synthetic content created without performer consent.
“AI voices are permissible when the proper consent, control, and compensation guidelines are followed. Consent is table stakes; control and compensation are the major sticking points in the industry today,” Gottdiener told ADWEEK.
The AI company also seeks to address concerns over underpayment, noting some players pay creators as little as 1% to 2% of total campaign revenue—a model Gottdiener views as unsustainable.
Still, not all voice actors working with Studio Resonate have opted into the program, according to Matt Moen, vice president of creative services at Studio Resonate, acknowledging the ongoing hesitation among talent.
“AI is a complicated and probably perceived as a threatening technology in the creator network,” he said. “It’s the perception that AI can make their job redundant as well as using their voice without their permission.”
Scaling audio ads with per-use compensation
The deal allows SiriusXM to scale the production of audio ads by using a single voice performance to generate localized variations across markets. Rather than recording hundreds of versions manually, brands can tag out a base spot using Narrativ’s technology to generate localized variations.
“It’s a painful process for a voice actor to go through again only to be paid for that one spot,” Collins said. Automating that process is a “huge win” for creators, she noted, and “the turnaround time for advertisers is that much faster.”
Meanwhile, voice actors are compensated each time their replica is used, with payouts structured per spot, according to Moen. Since SiriusXM supports both on- and off-platform campaigns, the comp rates vary based on usage.
However, the AI-generated audio ads will not carry any disclosure indicating they were created using synthetic voices, said Collins.
“There are no industry standards around if you have to disclose how you made the ad [yet],” she added, underscoring ongoing uncertainty about how and when brands should reveal the use of synthetic voices.
