Fred, a trans man, clicked his mouse, and his tenorful tones suddenly sank deeper. He’d switched on voice-changing algorithms that provided what sounded like an instant vocal cord transplant. “This one is ‘Seth,’” he said, of a persona he was testing on a Zoom call with a reporter. Then, he switched to speak as “Joe,” whose voice was more nasal and upbeat.Fred’s friend Jane, a trans woman also testing the prototype software, chuckled and showcased some artificial voices she liked for their feminine sound. “This one is ‘Courtney’”—bright and upbeat. “Here’s ‘Maya’”—higher pitched, sometimes …
