Category Archives: Cloning

TEXAS A&M TODAY

Mark Westhusin, a Texas A&M University researcher responsible for historic advancements in the field of animal cloning, died Tuesday at the age of 66.

A professor with Texas A&Ms School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) for over three decades, Westhusin led a team of researchers within the Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology (VTPP) to create the worlds first genetic clones of a house cat and white-tailed deer. The former, nicknamed Copy Cat, or CC for short, became the subject of widespread public interest following her birth by a surrogate mother in December 2001. Her photo graced the pages of Time magazine and the story was reported in more than 200 other news publications, establishing Texas A&M as a world leader in genetic cloning research.

To the entire VTPP family all of us at A&M grieve with you, Texas A&M President Gen. (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III said in a statement. We are so very sorry for the loss of your treasured faculty member and friend. Betty and I will keep Dr. Westhusin, his family, and all of you in our thoughts and prayers. My deepest condolences.

Other clones to come out of Westhusins lab include genetic copies of cows and goats, with other VMBS teams successfully cloning pigs and horses. The Association of Former Students presented Westhusin with a Distinguished Achievement Award in 2015, noting that, As a result of his and his colleagues efforts, Texas A&M is now recognized as having cloned more different animal species than any other institution in the world.

An enduring symbol of Westhusin and his teams success, Copy Cat was adopted by Westhusins colleague Duane Kraemer and lived to be 18 years old, even giving birth to kittens of her own.

Cloning now is becoming so common, but it was incredible when it was beginning, Westhusin recalled in 2020 following Copy Cats death. Our work with CC was an important seed to plant to keep the science and the ideas and imagination moving forward.

A native of Plainville, Kansas, Westhusin earned an undergraduate degree in animal sciences from Kansas State University in 1980 before completing his Ph.D. at Texas A&M. He authored or co-authored more than 160 academic publications, and his work has been cited thousands of times by his fellow researchers in the fields of genetics, reproductive science and biotechnology. In 2008, he was profiled as one of the 35 People Who Will Shape Our Future by Texas Monthly.

Westhusin holds an array of academic and professional honors including the National Institutes of Health Directors Award, the American Society of Animal Sciences Scholarship Award, Pfizer Research Award and Richard H. Davis Teaching Award.

Mark was an extraordinary influence in many ways in our school and on campus, and his passing leaves a very painful void, VMBS Dean John August said.

In an email to faculty and staff, VTPP Department Head Larry J. Suva said, Words cannot describe how Dr. Westhusin will be missed by VTPP, our college and university. Mark was a leader as a scientist, professor, colleague and mentor. I am devastated to have to share this news to you. Please keep Marks family in your prayers.

Services for Westhusin are scheduled for Friday, May 31, from 2 to 3 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bryan.

(2022) Woman spends $25K to clone her cat l GMA // via Good Morning America on YouTube

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Cloning pioneer Mark Westhusin of Texas A&M dies at 66 - Bryan-College Station Eagle

Summary

There were two conflicting depictions of the Clone Wars for a time, but Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith acknowledged a clever Star Wars retcon that makes both iterations fit together. The Clone Wars were first mentioned in A New Hope (initially known as Star Wars) but were not fully depicted until the prequel trilogys second installment Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Before the prequels, the Clone Wars were scarcely mentioned in Legends-era materials, with key properties, like Marvels classic Star Wars comics and Timothy Zahns Thrawn trilogy, referencing the pivotal war.

The Clone Wars would finally make their onscreen debut in the action-packed finale of Attack of the Clones, but Legends-era Star Wars material would continue to depict the war throughout the original Clone Wars multimedia project. This included video games, a plethora of comics and novels, and the beloved animated micro-series Star Wars: Clone Wars. The modern Star Wars canon would also include a plethora of Clone Wars-era materials, such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, making the Clone Wars one of the most popular and documented eras in both Star Wars continuities.

George Lucas left quite a bit on the cutting room floor when it came to Revenge of the Sith, and we wish some of these deleted scenes were included.

Before the prequel trilogy, however, Legends-era Star Wars properties kept their few references to the Clone Wars vague, but they notably described the clones of the Clone Wars as being the enemies of the Jedi and Galactic Republic. Other details seemingly contradicted the prequel trilogys depiction as well. Boba Fett was once described as a combatant in the war, and both Princess Leia and Emperor Palpatine supposedly participated in the war in leadership positions as well. While the pre-prequel Clone Wars lore is seemingly incompatible with the wars eventual depiction, the Legends-era creatives found ways to make everything equally canonical.

A rogue ARC trooper Spar defected to the Separatists and became the Mandalor after Jango Fett. As the leader of the Separatist-aligned Mandalorian Protectors, Spar assumed the identity of Boba Fett and fought for Darth Sidious who the Protectors would later refer to as Emperor Palpatine. The Princess Leia referenced by Spars successor, Fenn Shysa, was actually Padm Amidala, with Shysa mistaking Leia for her mother during the original trilogy era. The Thrawn trilogy's Clone Wars references specifically the villainous clones would appear in the Star Wars: Republic comics.

The Siege of Saleucami story arc by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema established that the Separatists created their own clone army late in the Clone Wars. Using the formidable Nikto warrior Bok a member and leader of the Morgukai (an ancient and lethal Nikto death cult) as a prime clone, the Separatists developed the Morgukai Shadow Army. This army was small but elite, serving as the Separatists counter to the Jedi Knights and clone troopers, who made quick work of the Separatist droids. The Republic engaged the Separatists on Saleucami to destroy the cloning facilities.

The aftermath of the Siege of Saleucami is shown in Revenge of the Sith, with Jedi Master Stass Allie dying on the planet during the movie's Order 66 montage.

Although the Morgukai Shadow Army proved far superior to the Separatist droids, the Republics clones and Jedi were each more formidable still, resulting in a Republic victory and putting an end to the Separatists cloning project. The Siege of Saleucami is directly referenced in Revenge of the Sith, with Obi-Wan Kenobi mentioning the Republics victory as part of the Jedi Orders report on the Outer Rim Sieges to Anakin, who missed the meeting. Revenge of the Siths acknowledgment of the Siege of Saleucami is more than an offhand reference, however.

Star Wars' Order 66 brought about the end of the Republic and Jedi Order, changing the fate of the galaxy far, far away forever in its aftermath.

George Lucass attitude towards Legends-era materials and how they coincide with his Star Wars saga movies has been the subject of intense debate among viewers. Although Legends was the official canon before its 2014 rebranding, as far as Lucasfilm was concerned, George Lucas himself has been ambivalent towards the properties. Lucas has been infamously dismissive towards continuity in general and has made contradictory statements towards Legends-era storylines and characters, yet his Star Wars movies have directly acknowledged Legends-era non-movie materials numerous times.

Lucas used Timothy Zahns name of Coruscant for the ecumenopolis capital of the Republic and Empire and brought Aayla Secura from the Republic comics into the prequels, among many other things. The Siege of Saleucami was not only an exciting Legends-era comic story arc, but also a creative form of continuity maintenance, tying the original descriptions of the Clone Wars into the prequel trilogys depiction of the conflict. By referencing the Siege of Saleucami in Revenge of the Sith, Lucas further legitimized the storyline, even if he was not always consistently supportive of Star Wars Legends.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is the sixth film in the Star Wars franchise and chronologically the third in the Skywalker Saga. Set three years after the events of Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is tasked with keeping an eye on Chancellor Palpatine while other Jedi battle across the galaxy. In the background, however, a mysterious Sith lord begins to make their move to destroy the Jedi once and for all.

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How Revenge of the Sith Fixed Star Wars' Oldest Clone Wars Continuity Problem - Screen Rant

With AI-powered voice cloning technology becoming increasingly accessible and convincing, Truecaller is fighting back with a new weapon in its arsenal against scams. The popular caller identification app announced the launch of its groundbreaking AI Call Scanner, a feature designed to detect and flag calls using synthesised voices, potentially protecting millions from falling victim to sophisticated scams.

As AI technology advances, the potential for misuse grows. Criminals can now easily clone voices using just a few seconds of audio, making it alarmingly simple to impersonate loved ones and prey on people's emotions. Recognising this growing threat, Truecaller developed the AI Call Scanner to provide users with an extra layer of protection.

How it works:

When a user receives a suspicious call, they can activate the AI Call Scanner with a single tap.

The feature records a short sample of the caller's voice.

Truecaller's advanced AI model analyses the voice, identifying unique characteristics to distinguish between genuine human speech and AI-generated imitations.

The entire process takes just a few seconds, providing users with near-instantaneous results.

The risks of AI voice scams are increasing at an alarming rate," said Alan Mamedi, CEO and Co-founder of Truecaller. "We knew we had to act swiftly and decisively to stay ahead of this emerging threat."

Launching initially for Android users in the US, with India and other key markets to follow soon, the AI Call Scanner represents a significant step forward in the fight against increasingly sophisticated scams. Truecaller also has plans to develop the technology further, including an iOS release and potential integrations with other platforms and communication tools.

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Truecaller unveils AI call scanner to combat growing threat of voice cloning scams - Business Today

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What's the story

The AI cloning industry in China, specifically focused on creating replicas of deceased relatives, has seen significant growth. This development has not only led to a substantial decrease in prices, but also spurred technological advancements. According to MIT Tech Review reporter Zeyi Yang, mourners can now acquire AI replicas of their departed loved ones, for as low as $140. This is a stark contrast to just few years back, when such services would have cost more than $1,000.

Silicon Intelligence, a Nanjing-based firm, is leading the way in this innovative technology. The company's co-founder, Sun Kai, had his team generate an avatar of his mother, following her unexpected death in 2019. Despite initial awkwardness and repetitiveness, the clone provided real comfort. "My mom didn't seem very natural, but I still heard the words that she often said: 'Have you eaten yet?'" Sun shared with MIT Tech Review.

Yang notes that confiding in the dead is an integral part of China's ancestor worship rituals. Although communicating with a digital representation of the deceased, isn't quite the same as writing them letters/burning incense during holidays, the adoption of this technology has accelerated as AI has improved. "So I would say it is catching on, but only a small number for now," Yang told NPR. He also mentioned that two companies have provided this service to over 2,000 clients combined.

Despite ethical concerns surrounding this practice, Chinese companies have been creating these avatars with "explicit consent from immediate family members," according to Yang. He further explained that some believe consent should be obtained from all surviving family members before proceeding with the replication. Yang suggested that this type of "deathbot" or "ghost bot," as some have termed it, could potentially become popular in other countries with varying but compatible relationships with the concept of death.

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AI cloning of deceased loved ones flourishes in China - NewsBytes

Some brittle stars give an arm and a leg (and still another appendage) to reproduce. When mates are scarce, these starfish-like sea creatures split themselves in half. Each side then regrows its missing half, creating two identical clones of the original animal.

This process, known as clonal fragmentation, is practiced by almost 50 species of existing brittle stars and their starfish relatives. However, scientists have found it difficult to determine when brittle stars, a gangly group of echinoderms, started reproducing this way.

A recently discovered fossil from Germany pushes the origin of cloning sea stars back more than 150 million years. In a paper published Wednesday in The Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a team of scientists describe the fossil of a brittle star that was petrified while regenerating three of its six limbs.

Its the first fossil evidence for this phenomenon, said Ben Thuy, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg and an author of the new study. The specimen, he added, shows that clonal fragmentation is actually much older than people previously thought.

The brittle star fossil was discovered in the Nusplingen limestone deposit in southern Germany. In the late Jurassic period, 155 million years ago, this area was a balmy lagoon home to marine crocodiles, sharks and pterosaurs. When some of these creatures died, they sank to the bottom and were buried by mud. Low oxygen levels slowed their decomposition, preventing scavengers from picking at the carcasses.

These conditions preserved fossils in incredible detail, capturing delicate structures like dragonfly wings and even a dinosaur feather. The newly described brittle star is another treasure imprinted onto the sites limestone slabs. You have this brittle star with every single piece in its original place, just as if it washed up on the beach a day ago, Dr. Thuy said.

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Fossil Catches Starfish Cousin in the Act of Cloning Itself - The New York Times

Ahmedabad Crime Experts warn of a new voice cloning scam Crooks use AI to clone voice, use it to call victims friends and cheat them Array ( [galleryId] => 85381d2666c57c2fc065a4d30e70bf256cbfa1e131fba6ef [thumbImage] => https://media.ahmedabadmirror.com/am/uploads/mediaGallery/image/1715546558706.jpg-thmb [largeImage] => https://media.ahmedabadmirror.com/am/uploads/mediaGallery/image/1715546558706.jpg-sldr [fullImage] => https://media.ahmedabadmirror.com/am/uploads/mediaGallery/image/1715546558706.jpg-org [videoObj] => => cloning scam [altText] => cloning scam [description] => cloning scam [title] => ) cloning scam Ahmedabad Mirror

May 13, 2024 06:00 AM | UPDATED: May 14, 2024 03:27 AM | 4 min read

The Cyber Police and experts have sounded an alarm against a new type of scam - the Voice Cloning Scam - in which scamsters use AI to clone the voices of a person and call their relatives to cheat them. It should be noted that so far no complaints about Voice Cloning have been recorded with the city police.

Experts said often the voices are cloned through calls in which a victim receives a call but no one responds from the other end. As the person continues to say hello the AI captures the receivers sample voice and uses it for cloning.

Experts said scamsters can use a victims number using VOIP to make a call to his/her relatives on various pretexts and demand money. Experts said Process Artificial Intelligence is used to execute the scam. Experts said cyber cons use various AI-related tools and software to execute such frauds. Cyber thugs can also use certain social media platforms to con people through Voice Cloning Scam.

Original post:

Experts warn of a new voice cloning scam - Crime - Ahmedabad Mirror

Summary

As a more somber and arguably grounded piece of Star Wars media, part of the formula for Andor is to focus on the Empire's means of oppression. Imperial forces seem to be everywhere with the Republic fallen and the galaxy now Emperor Palpatine's toy box. And, as seen through Cassian Andor's eyes, they're always a problem. Andor's attention to detail is a strong point of the series. Still, its focus on Imperial security and the use of TIE fighters paints a particularly vivid picture of the Star Wars universe at its darkest moment.

Andor bridges the two decades between the rise of the Empire at the end of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and the destruction of the Death Star in A New Hope. As such, it reveals a key change from Clone Troopers to Stormtroopers, which occurred in the gap between the two films. For instance, a flashback scene in Season 1, Episode 7, "Announcement," shows Clone Troopers on the streets, while contemporary sequences reveal Stormtroopers in the same position. Its a subtle distinction and sometimes looks like nothing but a slightly different armor design. In fact, the difference between Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers is one of the keys to this part of the Star Wars timeline.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on May 9. 2024: Stormtroopers are one of the most iconic parts of the Star Wars franchise, with the stock soldiers easily recognizable among even casual moviegoers. They're not the only variety of such forces in the series, with Clone Troopers being another mass-produced fighting force. This raises the debate of Clone Troopers vs. Stormtroopers and what separates the two varieties. Of course, these are only the main variations seen in the series, with other notable versions also adding to the question of which soldiers constitute Stormtroopers.

Clone Troopers are genetic copies of bounty hunter Jango Fett, created by the Kaminoans secretly to provide the Republic with an army. While they evince variations and individual identities as their lives take different paths, they all stem from the same DNA and, thus, look and sound exactly like one another. Their armor is best described as "protean Stormtrooper," though decorations and other unique touches were prevalent during the Clone Wars.

They first appear in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones as the Separatists formally break from the Republic. Of course, Senator Palpatine used them as cat's paws the entire time. No one doubts the need for an army with civil war brewing, and the question of who paid the Kaminoans to develop the Clones becomes lost in the need to stop the Separatists. Ironically, Palpatine controls them as well. The Separatists are engineered to create a crisis, which the Clone Troopers magically show up to solve.

That pays dividends in Revenge of the Sith, as Palpatine executes Order 66. The Clones -- programmed from conception to obey it -- turn on their Jedi commanders en masse. In one stroke, they go from loyal comrades to implacable enemies, wiping out the Jedi. Palpatine then orders the Separatist droid armies to shut down, leaving him in control of the galaxy. The Clone Troopers perform exactly as he needs them to, and this begins their transition into the dark foot patrol of the galactic empire.

With the war over, the Clones have served their purpose, and since cloning operations are expensive, the new Emperor decides to change course. Conscripts and volunteers -- who don't need to be raised and trained from birth -- are far more cost-effective and don't require Order 66 levels of loyalty to do their job. The first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch goes deep into the crossover details, starting with Season 1, Episode 1, "Aftermath." Admiral Tarkin arrives on Kamino to terminate their contract, bluntly telling them that conscripts can do the same job "at half the cost." The first season shows how Clone operations are slowly terminated, climaxing in Season 1, Episode 15, "Return to Kamino," as the Empire attacks and destroys the Kaminoans' cloning facilities.

After that, Clone Troopers are quickly phased out, and conscripted Stormtroopers become the norm. Clones age more rapidly than non-clones -- another reason the Empire doesn't want them anymore -- and their short shelf-life means that the change takes place comparatively quickly. Andor takes place in the midst of that transition, which the showrunners make careful note of in their use of the Empire's ground forces. The change is incidental for Cassian, but for the Star Wars universe as a whole, it's enormous and reflects the dark rise of the Empire. It also explains why stormtroopers are treated as expendable cannon fodder, as they're easier to replace than clone troops and their lifespans.

Main Variations of Troopers In Star Wars

Name

First Appearance

Clone Troopers

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Stormtroopers

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Snowtroopers

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Scout Troopers

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Patrol Troopers

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Swamp Troopers

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Shore Troopers

Andor

Stormtroopers and Clone Troopers are just two varieties of such soldiers in the Star Wars franchise. These variations came about after the transition from Clone Troopers to Stormtroopers, and they tend to reflect certain environmental conditions that the foot soldiers are trained for. Sandtroopers operate on desert planets such as Tatooine, and their armor includes cooling fans and a sand filter. This makes them somewhat similar to the Stillsuits used by the Fremen in Dune. Scout Troopers and Patrol Troopers have more lightweight armor, allowing them to traverse distances more easily on their speeder bikes. Of course, they also have different posts, with Scout Troopers operating in forest environments like Endor, while Patrol Troopers are seen in more urban areas.

Snowtroopers from Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back fittingly operate in snowy environments such as Hoth, with thicker armor and "skirts" that surround their lower bodies and provide extra warmth. Swamp Troopers, also known as Mud Troopers, eschew the usual white color schemes of the shock troops and instead wear green armor to blend in with their murky surroundings. Shore Troopers (Coastal Defender Stormtroopers) have somewhat ruddier (yet still white) armor and protect shorelines, though their usage across the galaxy tends to be rare. That's without even getting into the different versions of the original Clone Troopers, who all had specific armor and color schemes based on rank and function.

This was somewhat seen in the Disney Star Wars sequels, with Captain Phasma being a First Order Stormtrooper with silver armor. Likewise, TIE Fighter pilots and perhaps even Imperial Red Guards could be seen as tangentially related to Stormtroopers. However, they're not quite the same and have different armor and color schemes. All these variations only add to the debate over Clone Troopers vs Stormtroopers, with an endless supply and variants of the latter throughout the series. Clone Troopers only had a presence before the time of the original trilogy, which is why Stormtroopers are still so ubiquitous in the Star Wars universe.

Andor Season 1 is available to stream now on Disney+.

Prequel series to Star Wars' 'Rogue One'. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero.

The original trilogy depictsthe heroic development of Luke Skywalker as a Jedi and his fight against Palpatine's Galactic Empire alongside his sister, Leia. The prequels tell the tragic backstory of their father, Anakin, who is corrupted by Palpatine and becomes Darth Vader.

Read more here:

Clone Trooper vs Stormtrooper: What's the Difference? - CBR

Alexis Bogan, whose speech was impaired by a brain tumor, uses an AI powered smartphone app to create a audible drink order at a Starbucks drive-thru on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Lincoln, R.I. The app converts her typed entries into a verbal message created using her original voice.

A woman lost her voice but artificial intelligence helped her get it back.

Alexis Lexi Bogan had a golf ball-sized vascular tumor lodged near the back of her brain, pressing on her brain stem and entangled in blood vessels and cranial nerves.

Doctors removed the life-threatening tumor during a 10-hour surgery in August 2023; however, when Bogan came off the breathing tube, her tongue muscles and vocal cords were damaged.

It affected her ability to eat and talk she struggled to swallow and could barely choke out a hi to her parents.

But AI came to the rescue months later.

In April, Bogan got an AI-generated voice clone that she can use through an app on her phone she just types into her cell, and the app instantly reads her words out loud.

Before the vocal miracle, even after months of rehabilitation, the 21-year-old was still struggling to speak and get her loved ones to understand what she was saying.

Its almost like a part of my identity was taken when I lost my voice, Bogan told the Associated Press. At some point, I was starting to forget what I sounded like.

Her new app-based voice, with help from Rhode Islands Lifespan hospital group, is sourced from a 15-second cooking video she recorded for a high school project, allowing it to use her teenage vocals for a real-sounding voice.

I get so emotional every time I hear her voice, her tearful mother Pamela said.

Bogan is one of the first people to use OpenAIs new Voice Engine to bring back a lost voice and the doctors believe that this is one use of AI that outweighs the risks.

Were hoping Lexis a trailblazer as the technology develops, Dr. Rohaid Ali, a neurosurgery resident at Brown Universitys medical school and Rhode Island Hospital, told AP, adding that it could greatly benefit those with debilitating strokes, throat cancer or neurogenerative diseases.

Bogan now uses the app everywhere, including Starbucks, Target and Marshalls, to help with every day encounters.

I think its awesome that I can have that sound again, said Bogan, who noted that it helped boost my confidence to somewhat where it was before all this happened.

Some risks of AI voice-cloning technology include non-consensual voice recreation making people say things they never said plus phone scams, deepfake robocalls and more.

We should be conscious of the risks, but we cant forget about the patient and the social good, said Dr. Fatima Mirza, another resident working on the pilot. Were able to help give Lexi back her true voice and shes able to speak in terms that are the most true to herself.

Since Bogan is the first with her condition to use the technology, shes been able to give feedback on how to make it better and more accessible, such as having the voice age as she ages.

Shes been a great inspiration for us, Mirza said.

Even though I dont have my voice fully back, I have something that helps me find my voice again, Bogan said.

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I lost my voice because of a tumor but an AI clone gave it and my confidence back to me - AOL

Summary

A new Orphan Black: Echoes trailer reveals a unique spin on the clone-themed story used in the spinoff show. Following on from the critically acclaimed science fiction show that starred Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black: Echoes is set to introduce a new heroine played by Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter. Waking from a mysterious procedure with no memory of who she is, Ritters Lucy embarks on a harrowing journey to uncover her true identity and the truth of how she came to be.

Now the latest Orphan Black: Echoes trailer from AMC+ provides fresh insights into the direction of the spinoff, introducing a character presumed to be Ritters younger teenage clone (played by Amanda Fix). Check it out below:

Bearing a striking resemblance to Ritters Lucy, this latest revelation marks a significant departure from the original show, where Maslany played multiple clones of the same age. Moreover, in addition to revealing Fixs younger clone, this latest trailer also references the events of the previous series by showing framed photographs of Maslanys characters Sarah Manning and Cosima Niehaus.

With the original Orphan Black already well known for having Maslany act opposite alternate versions herself, this new spinoff must seek to distinguish itself from the show that inspired it.

Earning an impressive 140 award nominations throughout its five-season run, the original Orphan Black was consistently praised by critics and is still regarded as one of the best science fiction shows from the previous decade. Significantly bolstered by the Emmy Award-winning performance of Maslany, who was able to convincingly portray and differentiate multiple clones, many have wondered whether the new spinoff would also have Ritter follow in her predecessors footsteps.

Yet while this latest trailer does not necessarily discount the possibility of Ritter playing more than one character, the introduction of a younger clone offers a unique spin on the original shows underlying concept. With the original Orphan Black already well known for having Maslany act opposite alternate versions herself, this new spinoff must seek to distinguish itself from the show that inspired it. The use of different actors playing clones at varying ages seems the ideal way to do just that.

Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany played 14 different clones over the show's five seasons, all with the same face but radically different looks.

Of course, Ritter is also an accomplished actor and more than capable of playing multiple characters in Orphan Black: Echoes if needed, but at least this way, her new show can avoid accusations of merely being a pale reflection of the flagship series. Moreover, with the trailer also making it clear that the events of the new show take place in the same world as the original Orphan Black, having a new group merely attempt to replicate the same Project LEDA cloning experiments that birthed Maslanys clones also seems unlikely.

Orphan Black: Echoes premieres on June 23 on AMC, AMC+ and BBC America.

Source: AMC+

Orphan Black: Echoes is the sequel series to the original that aired in 2013. In Echoes, Krysten Ritter stars as Lucy, a woman trying to find her place in the world. She will soon discover that she may be part of the clone experimentation process that former protagonist Sarah Manning and her "sisters" were.

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Orphan Black: Krysten Ritter Uncovers Wide Conspiracy With Young Clone In Action-Packed Echoes Trailer - Screen Rant

OpenAI is offering limited access to a text-to-voice generation platform it developed called Voice Engine, which can create a synthetic voice based on a 15-second clip of someones voice. The AI-generated voice can read out text prompts on command in the same language as the speaker or in a number of other languages. These small scale deployments are helping to inform our approach, safeguards, and thinking about how Voice Engine could be used for good across various industries, OpenAI said in its blog post.

Companies with access include the education technology company Age of Learning, visual storytelling platform HeyGen, frontline health software maker Dimagi, AI communication app creator Livox, and health system Lifespan.

In these samples posted by OpenAI, you can hear what Age of Learning has been doing with the technology to generate pre-scripted voice-over content, as well as reading out real-time, personalized responses to students written by GPT-4.

First, the reference audio in English:

And here are three AI-generated audio clips based on that sample,

OpenAI said it began developing Voice Engine in late 2022 and that the technology has already powered preset voices for the text-to-speech API and ChatGPTs Read Aloud feature. In an interview with TechCrunch, Jeff Harris, a member of OpenAIs product team for Voice Engine, said the model was trained on a mix of licensed and publicly available data. OpenAI told the publication the model will only be available to about 10 developers.

AI text-to-audio generation is an area of generative AI thats continuing to evolve. While most focus on instrumental or natural sounds, fewer have focused on voice generation, partially due to the questions OpenAI cited. Some names in the space include companies like Podcastle and ElevenLabs, which provide AI voice cloning technology and tools the Vergecast explored last year.

According to OpenAI, its partners agreed to abide by its usage policies that say they will not use Voice Generation to impersonate people or organizations without their consent. It also requires the partners to get the explicit and informed consent of the original speaker, not build ways for individual users to create their own voices, and to disclose to listeners that the voices are AI-generated. OpenAI also added watermarking to the audio clips to trace their origin and actively monitor how the audio is used.

OpenAI suggested several steps that it thinks could limit the risks around tools like these, including phasing out voice-based authentication to access bank accounts, policies to protect the use of peoples voices in AI, greater education on AI deepfakes, and development of tracking systems of AI content.

Link:

OpenAI's voice cloning AI model only needs a 15-second sample to work - The Verge