Complete Step-by-Step Guide: Creating AI Podcasts with Colleague Voices

Congratulations on your successful AI podcast creation! Creating podcasts that sound like your colleagues speaking together is an exciting application of AI voice cloning technology. Here's your comprehensive guide to achieve this professionally and ethically.

Prerequisites and Ethical Foundation

Step 1: Obtain Explicit Consent

Before cloning anyone's voice, you must obtain written consent from your colleagues:

  • Create a consent form explaining exactly how their voice will be used

  • Specify the purpose (podcast creation), duration of use, and distribution channels

  • Include their right to revoke consent at any time

  • Keep signed consent forms for legal protection

Step 2: Gather High-Quality Voice Samples

Collect clean audio recordings of your colleagues:

  • Minimum requirement: 30 seconds to 3 minutes of clear speech

  • Optimal amount: 10-30 minutes for higher quality clones

  • Format: WAV, MP3, or FLAC files

  • Quality: Clear speech, minimal background noise

  • Content: Natural conversation or reading text (avoid scripted/robotic speech)

Tool Selection and Setup

Step 3: Choose Your Voice Cloning Platform

Based on comprehensive testing, here are the top recommendations:

🏆 Best Overall: Descript

  • Pros: Integrated editing suite, reliable results, commercial usage rights

  • Pricing: Free plan (1 hour/month), Creator ($15/month), Pro ($30/month)

  • Best for: Complete podcast production workflow

🎯 Most Customizable: ElevenLabs

  • Pros: Fine control over voice characteristics, multiple language support

  • Pricing: Free (~10 min/month), Creator ($5/month), Pro ($22/month)

  • Best for: Advanced voice customization needs

⚡ Most Flexible: Play.ht

  • Pros: Paragraph-by-paragraph generation, section regeneration

  • Pricing: Free (~10 min/month), Creator ($39/month), Pro ($99/month)

  • Best for: Detailed control over specific segments

Voice Cloning Process

Step 4: Create Voice Clones (Descript Method)

  1. Account Setup:

    • Sign up for Descript account

    • Choose appropriate plan based on your needs

  2. Record Consent Statement:

    • Descript requires a specific consent statement

    • Have each colleague record: "I consent to Descript creating an AI replica of my voice"

    • Upload or record directly in Descript

  3. Upload Training Audio:

    • Navigate to "AI Voice" section

    • Click "Create new voice"

    • Upload your colleague's voice samples

    • Wait for processing (typically 15-60 minutes)

  4. Test and Refine:

    • Generate test audio with sample text

    • Adjust settings if available

    • Create multiple versions with different emotional tones if needed

Step 5: Alternative Setup (ElevenLabs Method)

  1. Prepare Audio Files:

    • Segment audio into clips under 10MB each

    • Upload up to 25 samples per voice

  2. Configure Voice Settings:

    • Stability: Higher values = more consistent but less expressive

    • Clarity + Similarity: Balance between clear speech and voice similarity

    • Style Exaggeration: Controls emotional expression (use sparingly)

  3. Generate and Test:

    • Start with default settings

    • Generate short test clips

    • Adjust parameters based on results

Podcast Production Workflow

Step 6: Script Preparation

  1. Write Natural Dialogue:

    • Create conversational scripts that match each colleague's speaking style

    • Include natural speech patterns, vocabulary, and expressions they typically use

    • Mark speaker transitions clearly

  2. Format for AI Generation:

    Speaker 1 (John): Hey Sarah, what do you think about the quarterly results?

Speaker 2 (Sarah): Well John, I'm impressed by the 15% growth we saw...

Step 7: Generate Multi-Speaker Audio

Method A: Individual Generation + Editing

  1. Generate each speaker's parts separately using their respective voice clones

  2. Import all audio segments into your editing software

  3. Arrange chronologically with appropriate pauses

  4. Add natural conversation flow with overlapping speech if needed

Method B: Platform-Specific Multi-Speaker (if available)

  1. Some platforms like Google's Gemini TTS support multi-speaker generation

  2. Format script with speaker prefixes: "Speaker1: text, Speaker2: text"

  3. Generate complete conversation in one process

Step 8: Post-Production Enhancement

  1. Audio Editing:

    • Use Descript, Audacity, or professional audio software

    • Adjust timing and pacing between speakers

    • Add natural breathing pauses

    • Remove any AI artifacts or glitches

  2. Quality Improvements:

    • Normalize audio levels between speakers

    • Apply noise reduction if needed

    • Add subtle reverb for natural room tone

    • Insert background music or sound effects sparingly

Advanced Techniques

Step 9: Enhance Realism

  1. Natural Speech Patterns:

    • Add occasional "ums," "ahs," and natural hesitations

    • Include interruptions and overlapping speech

    • Vary sentence structure and length

  2. Personality Matching:

    • Incorporate each colleague's unique phrases and expressions

    • Match their typical speaking pace and energy level

    • Include their characteristic humor or communication style

  3. Context-Aware Dialogue:

    • Reference shared experiences or workplace culture

    • Use industry-specific terminology they would naturally use

    • Maintain consistent character voices throughout

Step 10: Quality Control Process

  1. Technical Review:

    • Listen for pronunciation errors

    • Check audio quality consistency

    • Verify proper speaker attribution

  2. Content Review:

    • Ensure dialogue sounds natural and authentic

    • Verify accuracy of any factual content

    • Check for appropriate tone and professionalism

  3. Colleague Approval:

    • Share drafts with the colleagues whose voices you've cloned

    • Get their approval before publishing

    • Make requested adjustments

Legal and Ethical Best Practices

Step 11: Transparency and Disclosure

  1. Audience Disclosure:

    • Always inform listeners that AI-generated voices are being used

    • Include disclaimer in podcast description and verbal announcement

    • Example: "This podcast features AI-generated voices created with explicit consent of all participants"

  2. Documentation:

    • Maintain records of all consent agreements

    • Document the AI tools and methods used

    • Keep originals of training audio securely

Step 12: Ongoing Compliance

  1. Regular Consent Reviews:

    • Check in with colleagues periodically about continued consent

    • Respect any requests to discontinue voice usage

    • Update consent forms as needed

  2. Usage Monitoring:

    • Keep track of how and where the AI voices are used

    • Ensure usage stays within agreed parameters

    • Monitor for any unauthorized use

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Audio Quality Problems

  • Issue: Robotic or unnatural sound

  • Solution: Use more varied training audio, adjust platform settings, or try different tools

Pronunciation Errors

  • Issue: Mispronounced names or technical terms

  • Solution: Use phonetic spelling, train with audio containing these terms, or edit manually

Inconsistent Voice Quality

  • Issue: Voice changes between segments

  • Solution: Use consistent settings, same voice model, and normalize in post-production

Timing and Pacing Issues

  • Issue: Unnatural conversation flow

  • Solution: Manual editing, add pauses, adjust speech rate in generation settings

Platform-Specific Quick Start Guides

Descript Quick Start

  1. Create account → Upload consent recording → Train voice (60 min) → Generate text → Export audio

ElevenLabs Quick Start

  1. Sign up → Upload audio samples → Configure settings → Generate speech → Download files

Play.ht Quick Start

  1. Register → Create voice clone → Input text → Generate by paragraphs → Download complete file

Future Considerations

As AI voice technology continues evolving:

  • Quality Improvements: Expect more natural-sounding voices with better emotional range

  • Easier Integration: Simplified workflows and better editing tool integration

  • Enhanced Ethics: Industry standards and built-in consent mechanisms

  • Legal Framework: Clearer regulations around voice cloning usage

Final Tips for Success

  1. Start Simple: Begin with short conversations before attempting longer content

  2. Practice Patience: Voice cloning technology requires iteration and refinement

  3. Invest in Quality: Better training audio produces better results

  4. Stay Ethical: Always prioritize consent and transparency

  5. Keep Learning: Technology evolves rapidly - stay updated on new tools and techniques

This comprehensive guide should give you everything needed to create convincing AI podcasts featuring your colleagues' voices. Remember that the key to success lies in combining technical proficiency with ethical responsibility and attention to detail in both the cloning process and post-production refinement.

The technology is powerful, but human creativity and ethical judgment remain essential for creating truly engaging and responsible AI-generated content.

Sources:

PodcastFrancesca Tabor