How To Make an AI Voice for Free: Text-to-Speech in 6 Steps

So you want to know how to make an AI voice — maybe one of yourself, a famous person, or your favorite animated character. Welcome to the future, where you can clone voices like it’s Cyberpunk 2077 and make AI say literally anything. Whether you’re here to create a flawless voiceover, prank your friends, or just see what AI can do, we’ve got you covered.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What is an AI voice?
• Types
• Popular ways to use them
• How to make an AI voice for free in 6 steps
• Tips
• Is it legal to make an AI voice of someone else?
• Start creating AI voices today on Weights.com

What is an AI voice?

An AI voice is exactly what it sounds like — a voice created by artificial intelligence, no human vocal cords behind the scenes, nothing. 

It’s the tech behind everything from Siri and TikTok voiceovers to eerily accurate deepfake speeches that make celebrities "say" things they definitely didn’t approve.

AI voices work by using thousands of real voice recordings, breaking them down into tiny sound patterns, and then using machine learning to predict and generate speech in that same style. Think of it like an AI DJ remixing a voice track — except instead of splicing music, it’s making human speech that approximates the real thing. 

Once the AI knows the voice inside and out, it trains itself to predict and generate speech that sounds natural. Give it a text prompt, and boom — it spits out words in that voice like it’s been possessed.

And no, this isn’t 2005-era text-to-speech with robotic, lifeless monotone — modern AI voices can mimic accents, emotions, and even those tiny vocal quirks that make someone sound uniquely them. 

That means you can generate a voice that’s smooth and professional for a podcast, energetic and expressive for a YouTube video, or cursed and chaotic if you decide to make an AI SpongeBob say existential nonsense.

Types of AI voices

AI voices come in all varieties, from eerily accurate deepfake clones to soulless text-to-speech bots that sound like they escaped from a 2003 GPS system. Whether you're cloning yourself, making SpongeBob read Shakespeare, or generating a brand-new voice, here’s the lineup.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The “I swear I never said that” voice: AI can clone your voice (or anyone else's) and generate speech that sounds just like the real thing. Want to narrate your own audiobook or leave a never-ending voicemail prank for your friends? Now you can. Just remember, consent is a thing.
• The “Nickelodeon lawyers are watching” voice: AI-generated fictional character voices are all fun and games until Goku starts explaining conspiracy theories. Whether you’re using it for memes or unhinged roleplay, it’s weirdly impressive. 
• The “Morgan Freeman just called me broke” voice: AI-generated celebrity voices are cool for parodies and content — until you remember celebrities have very real lawyers. Still, it’s fun to imagine The Rock giving life advice or Barack Obama roasting your crib.
• The “sounds human but isn’t” voice: Text-to-speech AI voices don’t mimic real people but have leveled up past their robotic ancestors. Great for YouTube narration, audiobooks, and making TikToks that don’t sound like Siri on NyQuil.

Popular ways to use AI voices

AI voices aren’t just for making Mother Theresa swear or giving your pet an inner monologue. They’re everywhere — from YouTube narrations to scammy-sounding robocalls that swear they’re not a scam. 

Here’s where AI voices are taking over:

• Your own AI twin for whatever nonsense you’re up to: Want to deepfake yourself for voice notes, narrate your life like it’s a nature documentary, or prank your friends with things you never actually said? Yeah, you can totally do that with AI. 
• Bonus: Forget about recording voicemail greetings like a hostage situation.
• Content creation when your voice is giving “NPC energy”: YouTubers, podcasters, and TikTokers are ditching their own voices for AI ones. Whether you hate the sound of your own voice or just don’t want to record the same line 40 times, this tech’s just right for you. 
• Entertainment, because why wouldn’t Darth Vader do ASMR?: AI voices are bringing video game characters, animations, and memes to life. Gandalf rapping? Check. Shrek giving financial advice? Absolutely. It’s crazy, and we love it.
• Accessibility that actually makes life easier: AI voices power screen readers, voice assistants, and real-time transcription tools. Basically, all the cool tech that helps people actually use the internet instead of just suffering through it.
• Marketing, because brands will do literally anything to sound cool: AI-generated voiceovers are in ads, virtual assistants, and those creepy human-like customer service bots that somehow still can’t answer a simple question without glitching out. 

How to make an AI voice for free in 6 steps

You don’t need a Hollywood studio, expensive software, or a masters in computer science to make an AI voice. The process to get something that’s not totally cursed is… surprisingly simple.

Here’s how to do it without spending a dime:

Step 1: Choose Weights because free is better than not free

Before you can generate an AI voice, you need a platform that doesn’t hide basic features behind a paywall. 

Weights, the best free AI voice generator, lets you create and train AI voices without weird trials or hidden fees, making it the easiest way to get started.

Here’s how to get set up:

• Sign up like a boss: Head over to Weights.com and create an account. No credit card, no nonsense — just instant access to AI voice tools.
• Free means free, not “free” with an asterisk:* Unlike most platforms that lure you in with a “free” tier and then hit you with a paywall, Weights actually lets you train and generate voices without charging you for every little feature.
• Check out the voice options: Once inside, you’ll find pre-trained AI voices ready to go (you can do text-to-speech, song covers, anything), plus the option to train custom ones. Whether you want a default AI narrator or something uniquely yours, you’ll have options from the start.

Step 2: Record or upload voice samples because magic needs raw materials

AI can’t just guess what your voice sounds like (yet). To create an accurate AI voice, you need high-quality voice samples that the AI can learn from. 

Remember that clean audio is key — unless you want your AI twin to permanently sound like it’s trapped in a drive-thru speaker.

Here’s how to get the best voice samples:

• Record like a boss, or at least try: Use a decent microphone and a quiet space. Background noise, echoes, or your dog barking in the distance will mess up the AI’s ability to learn.
• The longer, the better: More voice data means better results. A few short clips won’t cut it — aim for at least a couple of minutes of clear speech.
• Upload existing clips if recording isn’t your thing: Got a podcast, YouTube video, or voice memo? Use it. Just make sure the audio is clean, and you have the rights to use it. This is also crucial if you want to learn how to make an AI voice of a character — you’re going to need the ingredients. 

Step 3: Select or train a voice model like you’re assembling a Pokémon team

Now that you’ve got your voice samples, it’s time to decide whether you want to use a pre-trained AI voice or train your own. Pre-trained voices are ready to go instantly, while training your own gives you full control over how the AI sounds. Either way, you’re about to have a voice model that does all the talking for you.

Here’s how to pick the best option:

• Go with a pre-trained voice if you just want quick results: Weights offers a selection of user-made AI voices that you can use right away, with zero training. Great if you’re just messing around or need a voice fast.
• Train your own model if you want it to sound exactly like you: Want to learn how to make an AI voice of yourself? Upload your voice samples and let Weights' AI work its magic. Free users can train up to seven models per week, which is more than enough to experiment.
• Patience is key: Training an AI voice takes time — it’s not an instant process. But if you want high accuracy and full control, it’s worth the wait.

Step 4: Apply voice conversion and tweak settings because perfection takes effort

Now that you’ve got your AI voice set up, it’s time to fine-tune the details. Think of this as the difference between a raw recording and a studio-polished track — adjusting pitch, tone, and speed can completely change how the AI sounds. Whether you want it to be smooth and natural or completely unhinged is up to you.

Here’s what to adjust:

• Pitch control for when your AI sounds like a cartoon chipmunk: If the voice is too high or too deep, tweak the pitch until it sounds right.
• Speed settings because nobody likes an AI that talks like it's double-parked: If the voice is rushing through sentences, slow it down. If it’s dragging like a bad audiobook narrator, speed it up.
• Tone adjustments to match the mood: Some AI voices sound robotic at first. Adjust the tone to make it sound more natural, expressive, or even dramatic if that’s your thing.

Step 5: Download your AI-generated voice like a proud digital parent

After all the setup, tweaking, and existential questioning about giving an AI your voice, it’s time to download the final product.

Here’s how to save it properly:

• Pick the right format because details matter: Weights lets you download in MP3 or WAV. MP3 is smaller and easier to share, and WAV is higher quality. Choose wisely.
• Test it before you commit: Play back the AI-generated voice before downloading to make sure it sounds right. No one wants to realize after downloading that their AI clone sounds like a ‘90s video game. 
• Store it somewhere safe because redoing this would be annoying: If you’re planning to use your AI voice for multiple projects, keep the file handy. Maybe even label it something less suspicious than “me_but_AI.mp3.” And don’t bury it ten folders deep where you probably won’t find it. 

Step 6: Optional — share your AI voice and flex on the internet

Now that you’ve successfully created an AI version of your voice (or someone else's, no judgment), it’s time to show it off. Whether you’re looking for feedback, planning to refine it, or just want to see how many people you can confuse, sharing your AI voice lets you put it to the test.

Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Upload it to Weights and let the community react: Weights has a whole community of AI creators sharing their voices, tweaking models, and making very cursed audio. Jump in and see what others think.
• Refine and retrain if needed because perfection is a process: If your AI voice still sounds a little off, keep tweaking it. Small adjustments to pitch, tone, or clarity can make a huge difference.
• Use it for actual projects or pure chaos: It doesn’t matter if you’re making professional content, memes, or just sending wild AI-generated voice messages to friends, you now have an AI voice at your disposal. Use it wisely — or don’t.

Tips for creating high-quality AI voices

AI voices can sound shockingly realistic or painfully robotic — and the difference usually comes down to how well they’re trained. If you want an AI voice that actually sounds human (and not like an automated phone system from 2005), follow these tips.

Here’s how to get the best results:

• Use high-quality audio samples because garbage in = garbage out: Background noise, static, or bad recordings will ruin the final AI voice. Record in a quiet space and use a decent mic — or at least don’t talk into a fan.
• Record a variety of phrases to avoid weird speech glitches: AI learns better with diverse input, so mix up sentence structures and tones. If you only feed it monotone sentences, expect it to sound like a bored customer service rep.
• Keep the script natural so your AI voice doesn’t sound like an alien: If you’re training your own voice, use conversational, everyday speech instead of robotic or scripted phrases. Unless you want your AI clone to sound like it escaped from a corporate training video.
• Experiment with different voices because customization is half the fun: Adjust pitch, speed, and emotional tone to see what works best. A slight tweak can turn your AI voice from “friendly narrator” to “supervillain monologue.”
• Review and refine like you’re training an AI apprentice: If the AI voice sounds off, tweak the settings, re-record samples, or train it on more data. The more effort you put in, the more realistic and natural it’ll sound.

Is it legal to make an AI voice of someone else?

AI voice cloning is cool, but just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should — at least not without checking the legal (and ethical) side of things first. Making an AI version of your own voice? No problem. Cloning your favorite celebrity to make them read your grocery list? That’s where things get dicey.

Here’s what you need to know:

• If you don’t have permission, you probably shouldn’t do it: Using someone else’s voice without their consent — especially for public or commercial use — can land you in legal trouble faster than you can say “deepfake lawsuit.”
• Celebrities and public figures have legal protections, even if it’s “just for fun”: Many places have “right of publicity” laws that prevent you from profiting off someone’s voice or likeness without their permission. That Morgan Freeman AI impression? Legally questionable at best.
• Parodies and fair use might save you, but don’t count on it: If you’re using an AI voice for satire, comedy, or commentary, you might be covered under fair use laws. But if you’re trying to pass off an AI voice as the real thing, expect legal trouble ahead.
• Commercial use is where things get serious: If you plan to use an AI-generated voice for marketing, advertising, or any money-making purpose, get explicit permission. No one wants to wake up to a cease-and-desist letter.
• Always check local laws because rules vary everywhere: Some countries have stricter AI voice cloning regulations than others. Before you go recreating a famous voice, make sure you’re not accidentally committing digital identity theft.

Start creating AI voices today with Weights

AI voices aren’t just for deepfake chaos or questionable memes — they’re powerful tools for content creation, accessibility, and voice customization. Weights shows you how to make an AI voice and lets you do it for free, without sketchy paywalls or confusing setups.

Here’s why Weights is the move:

• Free & no subscriptions: No sneaky trials, no pay-to-play nonsense — just free AI voice generation with powerful tools.
• More than just voices: Weights isn’t just for AI-generated speech. You can also create images, videos, and train your own AI models.
• No stress, no setup: You don’t need coding skills or a degree in AI to use Weights. Sign up, upload, generate — done.
• Join a community that actually gets it: Weights isn’t just a tool, it’s a whole community of AI creators, experimenters, and meme lords pushing what’s possible.

Start creating with Weights today.