Rep. Jennifer Wexton on Thursday used an AI recreation of her voice to give a first-of-its-kind House floor speech that recognized Disability Pride Month.
“This very impressive AI recreation of my voice does the public speaking for me now,” the Virginia Democrat said via artificial intelligence. “I hope I can be a voice, even an AI voice, for Americans facing accessibility challenges and other disabilities.”
The AI used old recordings of speeches and appearances she made as a congresswoman to create a clone of her speaking voice. It is believed to be the first House floor speech using such technology. Wexton’s voice plays out of her iPad, for which she types out her thoughts, uses a stylus to move the text around, and hits play. The AI program then puts that text into Wexton’s voice.
Earlier this year, Wexton started using an assistive app to give a floor speech as she battles progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The AI voice she used Thursday, however, was much closer to her actual voice prior to the diagnosis.
The disease is a severe form of Parkinson’s disease that impairs her ability to speak clearly. After she was diagnosed last September, Wexton announced she will not seek reelection.
“I never thought that at my age and otherwise good health, something like PSP could, in the space of just over a year, rob me of my ability to speak, run, or dance and force me to stop doing the job that I love,” she said.
“I used to be one of those people who hated the sound of my voice. When my ads came on TV, I would cringe and change the channel,” Wexton continued. “But you truly don't know what you've got until it's gone, because hearing the new AI of my old voice for the first time was music to my ears. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard, and I cried tears of joy.
“I'm not going to sugarcoat the difficulties that I've faced the past year. But what has brought me a renewed sense of determination is the opportunity to use this unique platform to try to help others.”
