Kan's New Step: AI Featuring a Familiar Voice
A new service on the website and app will allow users to listen to text articles in the voice of senior news announcer Kobi Barkai. The technological development will allow for a natural listening experience anywhere and at any time, without sitting in front of a screen.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Kan, is launching a voice-reading service for text articles on its website and app. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the feature brings users the recognizable voice of senior news announcer Kobi Barkai.
Barkai, whose voice has been synonymous with public broadcasting in Israel for many years, was an active partner throughout the development process. He contributed dedicated voice samples and personally verified the authenticity and quality of the final output.
The new service constitutes a significant upgrade to the audio player on the corporation's digital platforms and marks Kan's official entry into the world of AI-based digital reading. Users can now choose whether to read articles or listen to them anywhere and at any time.
"Our goal is to allow the public to consume the corporation's content in a way that suits them. The connection between advanced AI technology and the recognizable, beloved voice of Kobi Barkai allows us to offer a natural, accessible, and high-quality listening experience that brings the values and heritage of public broadcasting to modern content consumption habits," said Tamir Cohen, Head of Products and Distribution at Kan's Digital Division.
Ron Yavorski, CEO of Trinity Audio, stated:
"We see more and more content organizations realizing that their audience is not always sitting in front of a screen. People listen to content while driving, walking, or working, so it is important to create a listening experience that feels natural and pleasant. In the case of Kobi Barkai, there is also a very strong emotional value to a voice that has been familiar to us all for years."
