Melania Trump Debuts AI-Narrated Audiobook of Memoir

Melania Trump has released an audiobook version of her memoir, “Melania,” featuring narration generated entirely by artificial intelligence. The former First Lady announced the launch on X, describing it as “the future of publishing.”

The audiobook, also titled “Melania,” is available for purchase on her personal website. The English version runs for seven hours, with versions in Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi also available, according to ElevenLabs.

Published originally in October 2024, the memoir covers a wide range of topics, from Melania Trump’s upbringing in Cold War-era Yugoslavia to her marriage to Donald Trump and her time in the White House. The book garnered significant attention prior to its release, particularly due to her statements defending a woman’s right to choose.

In the book, Melania wrote, “It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government.”

AI Narration Sparks Debate

The release of the AI-narrated audiobook comes amid growing debate over the use of artificial intelligence in the publishing industry. Earlier this month, Audible, owned by Amazon, announced plans to use AI technology for audiobook narration through “select partnerships,” aiming to broaden distribution across languages like English, Spanish, French, and Italian.

However, this move has faced criticism from writers, translators, and voice actors. Author Joanne Harris (“Chocolat”) called Audible’s plan “shortsighted,” arguing that it could deter people from listening to audiobooks altogether. Critics emphasize the unique artistry of human narrators, who bring emotional depth and nuance to storytelling.

Kristin Atherton told the Guardian that human audiobook narrators, who have included Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, “actively sell audio content by being good at their jobs.”

“The art – and it is an art – of a good audiobook is the crack in the voice at a moment of unexpected emotion, the wryness of good comedy timing, or the disbelief a listener feels when one person can convincingly be a whole cast of characters,” Kristin Atherton told the outlet.

Trump’s Warning on AI Dangers

The audiobook release follows President Donald Trump’s signing of the Take it Down Act, which penalizes the publication of nonconsensual real and computer-generated images, or “deep fakes.” Melania Trump, present at the signing, spoke about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

“Artificial intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation, sweet, addictive, and engineered to have an impact on the connectivity development of our children,” she stated. “But unlike sugar, these new technologies can be weaponized to shape beliefs and, sadly, affect emotions and even be deadly.”