- **Amazon virtual voice service**: Still in Beta, now over 40,000 AI-narrated books since November 2023.

- **Mixed reactions**: Critics argue it eliminates human narrators; supporters see benefits for self-publishing.

- **Advantages**: Fast, cost-effective audiobook creation; option to use human narrators later.

- **Quality concerns**: Human narrators offer better inflections and tone for bringing characters to life.

- **Audiobook market growth**: Expected CAGR of 24.4-26.3%, with market potentially tripling from $5 billion in 2022 to nearly $15 billion by 2028.

- **Step-by-step guide**:

  - Open bookshelf and find eBook

  - Test and select Virtual Voice

  - Set Pricing

  - Review with Virtual Voice Studio

  - Publish Audiobook

- **Requirements for eBooks**:

The book must have a live status (pre-orders are not eligible)
The book must have been live for at least seven days.
The book must have a table of contents.
The book cannot be in a publishing state/status.
English must be the book’s primary language.
The book must be suitable for an audiobook conversion; for example, most coloring books and cookbooks are unsuitable.
The book must not have an existing audiobook.
The book must be less than approximately 240k words or 26 hours of narration. Audible uses 9,300 words per hour as a baseline.
The book must have a cover.
The book cannot be in the public domain, e.g., Think and Grow Rich or How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Check out my FREE Guide to Getting Started with KDP!

Edited with Resound