Experience Literary Masterpieces Read by The Award-Winning Voice Actor Kenji Utsumi Through AI Technology!
Sony Music Entertainment has chosen CoeFont’s realistic AI voice software to narrate its YOMIBITO Plus e-books.
CoeFont Co., Ltd., a registered startup company at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, developer and provider of services utilizing AI, announced that its AI voice platform CoeFont has been selected for use with YOMIBITO Plus, an e-book with AI voice readings provided by Sony Music Entertainment Inc. April 19th, 2023, 12:00 JST
YOMIBITO Plus is a new type of e-book available on the Reader Store in Japan. These innovative books allow users to simultaneously read and listen to AI narration. The team at CoeFont used their voice synthesis technology to recreate the voice of the late Kenji Utsumi, using recordings of the acclaimed voice actor before he passed away. The legend’s digital voice can be heard reading the prologue to well-known Japanese literature (see Masterpieces of Literature below). CoeFont has also created digital voices based on the voices of renowned voice actors Katsuyuki Konishi (known for his role as Uzou Tengen in Oni no Kana no Kaede) and Shuichiro Umeda (winner of the Seiyu Best New Actor Award, 2023).
YOMIBITO Plus Book Information
Masterpieces of literature [Read and Listen] (Prologue narrated by Kenji Utsumi Digital Voice)
I Am a Cat
by Natsume Soseki
Botchan
by Natsumi Soseki
Ame Ni Mo Makezu
by Kenji Miyazawa
Roshomon [Read and Listen]
By: Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Narrated by: Kenji Utsumi AI Voice
Run, Melos! [Read and Listen]
By: Osamu Dazai
Narrated by: Shuichiro Umeda AI Voice
- Distribution start date: March 29, 2023 (Wednesday)
* Limited distribution until March 28, 2024 (Thursday) - Publisher ：Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
- Price: Free
*Reader Store membership registration (free) is required.
* Exclusive distribution on Reader Store, the e-book store.
About the CoeFont Platform
AI voice platform CoeFont ( https://CoeFont.cloud ) is an AI voice service that allows you to “get the voice you want in just 1 second.” Our affordable service uses the latest AI technology to convert voices into expressive, easy-to-use AI voices.
The CoeFont platform provides immediate access to more than 5,000 AI voices to use as and when you need them. Whether for training sessions, internal announcements, audiobooks, or promotional content, these voices are always ready to bring your ideas to life. For just ¥500, you can quickly create a “CoeFont” (AI voice) that perfectly imitates your voice within 15 minutes. This is a significant improvement from the pre-AI era, where voice recording sessions could last up to 10 hours and cost up to ¥500,000.
About CoeFont., Ltd
Established in 2020, CoeFont Co., Ltd. is a Tech Startup registered at the Tokyo Institute of Technology that develops and provides AI-based services. The company is currently focused on AI-based speech synthesis and has developed a low-cost AI voice platform, CoeFont ( https://CoeFont.cloud), where users can get “the voice they want in just 1 second.”
Related Links
- Website: https://coefont.cloud/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/coefont
- Introductory Video: https://youtu.be/kv8SxJ7ElkQ
