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A conversation with ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski
@ Stripe
05/30/25
Takeaways
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John Collison
05/30/25
@ Stripe
ElevenLabs has achieved over $100 million in annual recurring revenue, reflecting its rapid growth and success in the voice AI sector.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Voice is the best interface for interacting with technology, and this belief has driven the foundation of ElevenLabs.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The inspiration for ElevenLabs came from the poor dubbing quality in Polish films, where all characters are voiced by a single narrator, leading to a flat viewing experience.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The breakthrough moment for ElevenLabs was when the AI could produce laughter, marking a significant improvement in its voice capabilities.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
In the early stages, authors used ElevenLabs' technology to convert entire books into audio, indicating a strong product-market fit as they engaged with the tool in unexpected ways.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Achieving a human-like voice interaction requires breakthroughs in model technology and distribution, which are expected to evolve significantly in the next couple of years.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Making AI voices sound more human, even with imperfections, can enhance user engagement and improve overall interaction experiences. We recreated the voice of Darth Vader for a project with Epic Games, ensuring it maintains its unique tone and seriousness across interactions with millions of players.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The three main areas where people are currently using voice technology are smart devices, text input on phones, and phone trees, but there's potential for more advanced interactive media.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Interactive media is evolving, allowing users to not only read or listen to articles but also ask questions and engage with the content, enhancing the overall experience.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Customer support will shift from a frustrating experience to a more enjoyable one, where voice onboarding helps users navigate products and resolve issues efficiently.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Businesses should focus on where they have unique data that can enhance product experiences, rather than just seeking efficiency gains through AI.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The most surprising application of ElevenLabs' technology was helping a congresswoman who lost her voice due to illness to continue representing her state using an AI-generated voice.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
During a hackathon, a project was developed where AI agents could interact with each other to complete tasks like making bookings, showcasing the potential for more efficient communication.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
ElevenLabs focuses on both foundational research and product development in voice technology, aiming to create breakthroughs that enhance user experiences.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
To succeed, it's essential to combine research with practical applications, ensuring that innovations in voice technology meet customer needs effectively.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
In AI, every approach has performed better when more scale is applied, especially as foundational problems are addressed over time.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
We started as a company focusing on text-to-speech, then expanded to speech-to-text, creating an orchestration that combines both technologies.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
To ensure trust in high-stakes situations, like online banking, we need to verify identities convincingly, especially as deep fake technology evolves.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The concept of provenance and transparency is crucial; all content generated with ElevenLabs can be traced back to its origin.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
As we develop AI-generated voices, we need to create a publicly available classifier to identify whether audio was generated by ElevenLabs.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
The future will shift from detecting AI content to verifying human content, ensuring that voices are authenticated and traceable.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
In the future, language barriers will diminish as AI-generated voices become understandable in multiple languages, enhancing global communication.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Disney's storytelling approach inspires us to create technology that resonates with diverse audiences and allows them to be part of the narrative.
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Mati Staniszewski
05/30/25
@ Stripe
Staying close to users, like Disney employees interacting with guests, helps us understand our brand and improve our offerings.