HeyGen: Revolutionizing Translation with AI

A new startup, HeyGen, is on the verge of transforming the translation industry with groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI). This AI offers the ability for anyone to understand a foreign language by simply listening to any speaker.

HeyGen’s Multifunctional Platform

If you struggle to understand a foreign language conference or video, HeyGen might just be the solution to your problems. This company gained recognition in 2022 for its platform that allows for the creation of personalized videos without requiring video editing skills.

The concept is simple: you write a script, choose a voice, and a 3D avatar dictates the text for you.

While the results were debatable, the evolution of service offerings is impressive.

Precise Lip-Synced Translation

While ElevenLabs had already developed AI for cloning voices, HeyGen takes it a step further by offering astonishing lip-syncing. The translation tool is already available in nine languages:

• American English
• English
• Spanish
• French
• Hindi
• Italian
• German
• Polish
• Portuguese

The process is remarkably simple:

1. Record yourself on video for at least 30 seconds (or up to 5 minutes).
2. Upload your video in MP4, QuickTime, or WebM format (limited to 500 MB).

Users quickly rushed to test this AI to verify its realism.

The Translation Revolution That Raises Concerns

However, the impressive accuracy of HeyGen worries professionals in dubbing and translation, who see this AI as a direct threat to their industry.

This summer, around twenty unions and labor organizations from Europe, the United States, and Latin America formed the United Voices Organization (UVO). This organization advocates under the slogan “Don’t Steal Our Voices” and demands legislation that harmonizes AI and human creativity.

The realism of HeyGen could indeed be the solution to translation issues, but it also raises questions about the future of voice and translation professions. The coming years will determine whether this revolutionary technology will be an asset or a threat to these careers.