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Val Kilmer marked the release of his acclaimed documentary âValâ (now streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in a milestone way: He recreated his old speaking voice by feeding hours of recorded audio of himself into an artificial intelligence algorithm. Kilmer lost the ability to speak after undergoing throat cancer treatment in 2014. Kilmerâs team recently joined forces with software company Sonantic and âValâ distributor Amazon to âcreate an emotional and lifelike model of his old speaking voiceâ (via The Wrap).
âIâm grateful to the entire team at Sonantic who masterfully restored my voice in a way Iâve never imagined possible,â Val Kilmer said in a statement. âAs human beings, the ability to communicate is the core of our existence and the side effects from throat cancer have made it difficult for others to understand me. The chance to narrate my story, in a voice that feels authentic and familiar, is an incredibly special gift.â