The line between human voices and AI voices has just become considerably thinner.
Google has released a new version of its Text-to-Speech (TTS) AI. After testing it, I immediately implemented it on Begonia.pro, my Local SEO SaaS, to add an audio version to blog posts.
The result blew me away: it’s fluid, natural, and the quality is excellent in English and good in French. You can test it by browsing the latest blog posts on Begonia.pro in English and French.
Beyond the AI's technical feat, this integration addresses a Product Management issue. It acts as a real lever for accessibility and user experience.
Audio: Much more than a gimmick
In a product approach, we constantly seek to reduce friction. However, imposing reading as the sole means of consumption is a huge friction.
Integrating this audio feature allows us to attack two strategic axes:
1. Accessibility
This is the foundation of a good product: being usable by the greatest number of people, in the maximum number of contexts.
- For the visually impaired: the article becomes accessible without relying on a specific screen reader.
- For neurodivergent profiles (ADHD, dyslexia): listening greatly facilitates information assimilation compared to visual reading.
2. The "On-the-go" Experience
A good product adapts to the user's context, not the other way around. The user is not always sitting in front of their screen.
- Visual attention is saturated, but auditory attention is more easily available (commuting, sports, cooking).
- By proposing audio, we transform a "I'll read this later" (often never) into an "I'll listen to this right now".
- We mechanically increase time on site and retention, which is good for SEO.
A Technological Feat
What changes everything with this new Google AI Text-to-Speech model is the absence of a robotic effect and a natural diction. The AI handles breathing and punctuation very well.
This allows for a podcast-like experience, generated automatically for each article, without the time and production cost of a studio recording.
It is a typical example of product optimization with high impact and low implementation cost.
Need to optimize your Product Strategy?
Do you have a product you want to optimize? Are you looking to improve your UX or prioritize features that have a real business impact?
As a Freelance Product Manager, I help you transform your technical ideas into concrete user value.