Can AI narrate a book? And should it?
Dan Jones spent 22 years at Hachette UK, seven of them as Head of Audio Services, and is now Senior Manager at Glassboxx. In this episode he takes us inside audiobook production at scale: how budgets are set, how narrators are cast across different tiers, and how authors sign off on the voice of their book.
Melissa and Dan also listen to an AI-replica narration of The Odyssey. Dan calls it a “rendering”: the sound design hides some of the flaws, but it lacks the dynamic range, intonation and emotional connection a human narrator brings.
Dan explains that trade publishers are largely not using AI narration, and that most of the uptake is in self-publishing and tech-led ecosystems. AI is already improving production behind the scenes, though, in editing, proofing and audio repair. They also talk about the training, stamina and preparation long-form narration demands, and why human performance still delivers something AI can’t: connection and lived experience.
What we cover
Explore the companion notes here...
Chapters
00:00 Season Four Kickoff
01:22 Meet Dan Jones
02:23 Casting and Budgets
04:53 AI Odyssey Review
07:26 Which Books Need Humans
09:24 Where AI Is Used
12:33 BRAVA Sponsor Break
13:41 AI Tools in Production
16:00 Why Humans Still Win
18:04 Directing Authors and Celebs
20:23 Narrator Stamina and Craft
24:29 Connection and Lived Experience
27:04 Industry Outlook and Future
29:03 Wrap Up and Next Episode
Links & Resources
Dan Jones
The Odyssey
Where AI narration is being used
AI tools in production
The audiobook market
Previous episode
BRAVA
This is Season 4 of HIGH NOTES. Where every conversation is a performance.
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