Topic: 11 Labs

The AI training company Mercor reportedly suffered a massive hack, resulting in the release of proprietary data and expert training methods. There are concerns that Chinese entities will utilize this data to create compressed, highly efficient AI models. Meanwhile, individual users are increasingly running AI models locally on hardware like Raspberry Pis to avoid commercial subscriptions like 11 Labs.

The final segment features AI-generated clips of Donald Trump and a musical breakdown of Robert Maxwell's history in scientific publishing. The lyrics suggest Maxwell's empire served as a control mechanism for revolutionary discoveries. The hosts sign off with a reminder to support the show and a final critique of the "hoity-toity" version of news provided by mainstream media.

A listener shared a link to a digital Girl Scout cookie site, noting the convenience of ordering Thin Mints and S'mores online. Another donor demonstrated the capabilities of open-source AI by creating voice clones of Donald Trump and the podcast hosts. The segment highlighted the rapid advancement of text-to-speech technology and its accessibility to the general public.

Updates on a custom AI robot reveal it is now functional and operating from the cloud after a metaphorical "vacation" dating Grok AI. Attempts to implement an open-source alternative to 11 Labs failed due to high GPU and RAM requirements, leading to continued use of the 11 Labs free tier despite its five-voice limitation. Additionally, the new "ClaudeBot" (CLAWD) is examined and dismissed as an overpriced $200-per-month interface for managing other AI accounts.

A project to build a custom radio play-out system on Linux using AI coding assistance is described, featuring MIDI controller integration and pre-fader listening. The user aims to transition entirely away from Windows within two weeks, despite the AI occasionally making "dumb" assumptions based on the user's history with Podcasting 2.0. Additionally, a system called "Your Town" is mentioned, which uses 11 Labs' AI voices to help churches create radio promos, though the high cost of the service is noted.

The hosts discuss the creative use of 11 Labs AI to generate parody voices, such as NPR's Scott Simon. They explore the technical requirements for sampling voices and the potential for creating "deepfake" versions of figures like Alex Jones or Tucker Carlson. One host expresses a desire to avoid the "rabbit hole" of AI voice generation despite its entertainment value.

Donald Trump addresses reporters on his plane regarding negotiations with Vladimir Putin and the difficulty of ending the war in Ukraine due to deep-seated hatred between the parties. The audio is processed through 11 Labs voice isolation software to improve clarity, leading to a comparison of Trump's cadence to actor Christopher Walken.

The final segment featured a "Tip of the Day" regarding Steve Gibson's "InControl" utility, which allows Windows users to permanently disable unwanted OS upgrades. The hosts also discussed their use of 11 Labs for voice synthesis and played several "AI slop" music mixes created by the community. The episode closed with a reminder of the show's "value for value" model and a sign-off from the Texas Hill Country and Silicon Valley.

Experiments with AI voice cloning using 11 Labs are discussed as a potential way to automate portions of the podcast. One host demonstrates a cloned version of their own voice, noting the impressive accuracy of the intonation and room echo, while expressing frustration with the platform's changing service tiers and limitations.

Upcoming meetups are announced for Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles, with a major "extravaganza" planned for October 11th in Fredericksburg, Texas. The hosts address complaints from the "Our Big Dirty Mouth" (OBDM) podcast regarding credit for audio clips (ISOs). The segment concludes with a critique of 11 Labs' new interface and a refusal to pay for the AI service's premium plan.

The hosts mock the promotional ads for NPR podcasts like "Life Kit" and "Ye Gods," using AI tools to replicate the network's signature "boop-boop" music beds. They also play the extensive credit roll for the podcast "Throughline," contrasting the large number of staff members involved in public radio productions with their own lean operation.

A recording of an AI-generated spam voicemail for personal loans demonstrates the increasing sophistication of voice synthesis. Other reports describe interactive AI calls that can engage in conversation but refuse to perform specific tasks like singing a song or writing a haiku. These tools are being used for both marketing and potential fraud.

The use of 11 Labs AI technology for voice isolation and enhancement is discussed in the context of improving audio quality for political clips. This transitions into a critique of the pharmaceutical industry's shift toward using social media influencers to bypass traditional television advertising restrictions. The hosts question the legality of paid drug promotions without clear disclaimers on digital platforms.

High-tier donors are recognized, including new Executive Producer Darth Penguin. A sophisticated AI-generated parody of NPR's Scott Simon, created using 11 Labs, is played. The parody features a script mocking NPR's typical tone and subject matter, which the hosts praise as a rare example of creative and effective use of AI technology.

The hosts experiment with various AI-generated voice clips and soundbites sent in by producers, including a "TikTok woman" and a clip labeled "The Prophecy." The segment serves as a lighthearted look at the capabilities and oddities of modern AI voice synthesis.

The show concludes with a discussion on the use of 11 Labs AI for creating "In Search Of" (ISO) voice clips. The hosts preview the "Everything's an Argument" podcast and play end-of-show mixes from Jesse Coy Nelson and Professor Jay Jones. Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak sign off from Fredericksburg and Silicon Valley, promising to return on Thursday.

One host admits to using AI-generated voices from 11 Labs for the "end of show ISOs" for the past several months. The "Tip of the Day" recommends SpyHunter 5 for removing persistent adware and malware, particularly for users visiting Russian or pirate websites. The show concludes with a recommendation for Linux and a sign-off from Fredericksburg and Silicon Valley.

A phone call from Joe Biden to campaign headquarters is analyzed for signs of being an AI-generated recording. Observers note the lack of typical speakerphone artifacts and Biden's uncharacteristic ability to rattle off a long list of staff names without error. The timing of his COVID-19 recovery and his claim that he is "not going anywhere" while also being "out of people's hair" are cited as inconsistencies.

Producers send "make-good" donations for lapsed support, including one using the "Biden hole" jingle. A discussion ensues regarding listener feedback on AI-generated voices, with one listener suggesting that AI hallucinations are "demons coming through the portal." The hosts also note a trend of donations coming from "miserable" areas in New York and New Jersey.

The mechanics of mRNA vaccines are explained as a process where the body is triggered to produce spike proteins similar to those on the coronavirus. This nuisance protein supposedly trains the immune system to eliminate anything carrying that spike, though the hosts express personal reluctance to take the vaccine.