Parallel Lives
“Parallel Lives” is an interactive installation, weaving together the intricacies of voice, identity, and the untraveled roads of our lives. This piece uses bespoke instant voice cloning technology, combined with Large Language Models (LLMs), allowing participants to hear their own voices narrating the multiple paths their lives might have taken.The experience becomes a catalyst for a profound re-examination of the role language plays in sculpting our internal and external worlds.
Upon entering the installation, participants encounter a circle of brass upright funnels, the material of which was selected specifically for its resonant acoustic properties. The centrepiece of this arrangement is a central funnel with a microphone. When a user approaches and recounts their life story in a couple of sentences, the installation is activated. Their voice is immediately cloned, and a chorus of alternate life stories – paths not taken, decisions not made – pour out from the surrounding funnels. As participants lean closer, these funnels transform into gateways to speculative realities and parallel universes. The stories, echoing in the participant's own voice, highlight the profound impact of language and the sound of our own voice on our self-perception, thoughts and identity.
Technically, this is achieved through a sophisticated deep learning algorithm that clones the participant's voice instantly from the small voice sample the participant shared. At the same time, the spoken text is transcribed and analysed by an LLM, which creatively constructs divergent life stories distinctly different from the participant's actual experiences. For example, a sociable individual might hear about an isolated existence as a marine biologist on a distant island. However, elements of the participant's real life may also be subtly reflected in these alternate realities: two children of a London professor might become two carefully nurtured bonsai trees in the life of a Japanese anime artist. These narratives, delivered through speakers inside the brass funnels, are not just stories but reflections, challenging participants to contemplate the alternate choices and paths that could have defined their lives.
The narratives, spun by LLMs in the participants’ voice, challenge participants to reflect on the alternate choices and paths that could have defined them. Moreover, given the central role that language plays in our culture and thoughts, the installation becomes a reminder of the powerful role that language models will play in shaping our reality.
In collaboration with: Sam Gentle
Technology: custom Large Language Model pipeline // instant voice cloning // text-to-speech // speech-to-tech
Credits:
filming / video editing: Samuele Albani
3D modeling: Alex MacKinnon
actors: Freya Berkhout // Ralph Bourdoukan // Naomi Gabriel // Samuele Albani