Spotify tests voice translation feature for podcasts.

Spotify technology is testing an AI-powered feature that will translate podcasts like Dax Shepard and Lex Friedman into other languages, the audio streaming company said Monday.

The feature marks the Swedish company’s latest attempt to leverage creative artificial intelligence, a technology that has taken the world by storm since the rise of chatGPT, to tap new users and To increase income.

Spotify said the translated versions, powered by Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology, will mimic the original speaker’s style and be more natural than traditional dubbing.

The company also worked with other podcasters including Monica Padman, Bill Simmons and Steven Bartlett for the feature.

Spotify said audio translations will be available in languages ​​including Spanish, French and German for a select number of episodes from the catalog and future releases, which could expand the shows’ audience.

Spotify has spent aggressively on its podcast business over the past few years, hoping that the high engagement levels offered by the format will bring in more advertisers.

But that increased the company’s operating costs, which grew at twice the pace of its revenue growth last year. In addition, businesses are also dialing back spending on advertising due to rising interest rates and inflation.