The Enigmatic Voice of Siri: Susan Bennett’s Journey
Susan Bennett’s journey into the world of voiceover acting began serendipitously. Singing jingles for commercials, she found herself in a studio one day when a voice actor failed to show up. Seizing the opportunity, the studio owner asked Bennett to record a copy, and her voiceover career was born.
In 2005, six years before Siri’s introduction, Bennett unknowingly recorded the initial voice for what would become Apple’s famous personal assistant. Little did she know that her recordings for ScanSoft, now known as Nuance, would be used for Siri. Tasked with reading nonsensical sentences and names of streets and addresses, Bennett recorded for four hours a day, five days a week throughout July. While the first hundred recordings were enjoyable, the monotony soon set in.
It wasn’t until six years later that Bennett’s friend brought up the new iPhone, asking if the voice of Siri was hers. Curious, she listened to Apple’s website and recognized her voice immediately. An audio-forensics expert confirmed the match, but despite this revelation, Bennett never received compensation or recognition from Apple.
Her initial reluctance to reveal herself as the voice of Siri was due to concerns about being pigeonholed in the industry. However, as time went on, she decided to embrace her role and promote herself. From TV shows to TEDx Talks, Bennett has made the most of her Siri fame.
Her voice has been featured in various places, including the Atlanta Airport, where she is the voice of Delta Airlines’ gate announcements. Companies still use her voice from the Nuance recordings, and she often hears her voice in commercials while watching TV with her son. Thanks to her union affiliation, Bennett’s agents ensured she received compensation when her voice was used in major car commercials.
Bennett believes many people don’t realize that there are real individuals behind AI voices who deserve compensation. Her unique journey from accidental voiceover work to becoming the voice of Siri showcases the importance of recognizing and appreciating the human talent behind such technologies.