How to tell if a voice is AI-generated or cloned

A few seconds of recording are now enough to imitate anyone's voice. Audio files carry less metadata than images and are easily degraded by calls and messengers, so checking relies heavily on detectors that read the sound itself.

File and watermark first

Some generation services and open tools embed inaudible watermarks. Origma reads some public audio watermarks and checks the container and encoder record. A confirmed mark is strong evidence, but most circulating copies no longer carry one.

What the detector hears

Synthetic speech leaves regularities in breath, noise and the spread of frequency bands that differ from human recordings. The box above shows the audio gate. By the owner's decision the audio threshold allows up to 3% of human recordings to be flagged, so it is more likely than images to wrongly flag a person.

Phone recordings and re-encoding

Phone networks and messengers squeeze sound into a narrow band. Much of what the detector reads is lost on the way, so phone recordings come back inconclusive more often. The original file, if you have it, is far more accurate.

If you suspect a voice scam

Do not wait for a score: first confirm with the person through another channel. The result only supports your judgement, and if money is requested, the rule is not to pay before confirming, whatever the result says.

Frequently asked

Can a few seconds of audio be checked?
Very short clips lack material and come back inconclusive. Longer audio is more stable.
Can a real voice be called AI?
Yes. The audio threshold allows up to 3% of human recordings to be flagged, and we say so openly.
Does it work on songs and music?
The detector is tuned for speech, so results on music are less stable and more often inconclusive.
Does it say whose voice it is?
No. It does not identify speakers; it only assesses whether the audio was likely generated.

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This is general guidance, not legal advice. A scan result is a probabilistic assessment, not proof.

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