"It's not a representation of me": Examining Accent Bias and Digital
  Exclusion in Synthetic AI Voice Services
Authors: name: Shira Michel; name: Sufi Kaur; name: Sarah Elizabeth Gillespie; name: Jeffrey Gleason; name: Christo Wilson; name: Avijit Ghosh
Published: 2025-04-12 21:31:22

Abstract: Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) speech generation and voice
cloning technologies have produced naturalistic speech and accurate voice
replication, yet their influence on sociotechnical systems across diverse
accents and linguistic traits is not fully understood. This study evaluates two
synthetic AI voice services (Speechify and ElevenLabs) through a mixed methods
approach using surveys and interviews to assess technical performance and
uncover how users' lived experiences influence their perceptions of accent
variations in these speech technologies. Our findings reveal technical
performance disparities across five regional, English-language accents and
demonstrate how current speech generation technologies may inadvertently
reinforce linguistic privilege and accent-based discrimination, potentially
creating new forms of digital exclusion. Overall, our study highlights the need
for inclusive design and regulation by providing actionable insights for
developers, policymakers, and organizations to ensure equitable and socially
responsible AI speech technologies.