Artifact, the AI-powered news app from Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger is adding a new AI-powered text-to-speech feature that will read users’ news articles.
The company is launching the feature in partnership with Speechify (a text-to-speech app) that will allow Artifact users to listen to news articles read aloud, reports TechCrunch.
The feature will not only provide a robotic-sounding voice but will also provide a variety of natural-sounding voices, including two celebrity voices — American Rapper Snoop Dogg and American Actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
To use the new feature, Artifact users will need to tap the play button in the bottom bar of any article. They can then choose a voice, accent, and speed to begin listening.
Users will be able to continue browsing the news while the article they’re listening to plays in the background.
According to the company, this will make it easier to use Artifact to catch up on the news while working out, commuting, or doing chores, the report mentioned.
Moreover, the company noted that all of the 30+ voices are free to use and that there are no plans to charge for them.
While they are currently only available in English, users can select from accents from the UK, Australia, Nigeria, and South Africa, according to the report.
In May, Artifact launched a new feature, allowing users to flag articles they think are clickbait.
Users can find the option to flag something as clickbait in the three dots menu in an article or by pressing and holding on to an article in their feed.
Along with Mark as clickbait feature, the company also launched other features, such as the ability to react to an article and share articles as images.
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