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• After being diagnosed with a degenerative speech condition, Ed Riefenstahl of Texas Christian University used AI-powered voice cloning to restore his ability to communicate.
• Using old recordings, ElevenLabs, a company specializing in AI-based voice cloning, was able to recreate Riefenstahl’s natural speaking voice.
• Riefenstahl now uses his experience to illustrate how AI can be used not only to streamline business processes, but also to help individuals facing physical challenges maintain their quality of life.

 
Many people don’t realize their identities are defined by their voices—that is, until they lose their ability to speak. That has been the experience of Ed Riefenstahl, director of MBA experiential learning at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth.

Many professors are using artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline their grading and assessment responsibilities or teach students about AI’s applications in machine learning, data analysis, business management, and other contexts. But Riefenstahl might be the only professor who is using AI to maintain his ability to speak in the classroom at all.

In July 2021, Riefenstahl suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling off a ladder. He spent several weeks undergoing intensive therapy to regain his strength and return to his work at the Neeley School, where he leads the MBA consulting program, Neeley & Associates. In this program, Riefenstahl guides first-year MBA students as they devise business solutions for real-world clients for course credit, as well as second-year students who work as principals receiving consulting fees in exchange for their work.

Over the next year and a half, Riefenstahl continued to recover—until early 2023, when he noticed that he was gradually losing his ability to speak clearly. As his condition worsened, he consulted a professional at TCU’s Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic who confirmed that his tongue was not working properly. Soon after, a traumatic brain injury specialist diagnosed him with , a neurodegenerative condition that affects the nerves required for speaking and swallowing.

He was devastated when specialists told him that not only would the condition not improve, but it might worsen over time. Even worse: It has no cure. As a man who relied on his voice to engage with students in the classroom, Riefenstahl was determined to beat the odds and overcome the diagnosis. But after months of working with a speech pathologist, Riefenstahl had to accept that his voice was not improving.

His next step was to use a text-to-speech application that provided a synthetic and robotic-sounding voice for some interactions. But that voice—which his wife, Valerie, referred to as “Robot Ed”—was not the one he wanted to use with his students.

Then, in March 2024, he attended a webinar about the ways that generative AI (GenAI) was being used to create more realistic voice cloning technology. From there, he found , a company specializing in AI-generative speech. The company’s IT specialists helped him design a true-to-life replica of his own voice—and restored his ability to interact with students in a way that felt more like himself.

How Is Voice Cloning Done?

Advancements in voice cloning among security experts (especially in contexts where voice is used as a security measure). However, the technology also has positive implications for people facing voice loss from a range of conditions, from bulbar palsy to . The technology doesn’t just transform the ability to communicate for people such as Riefenstahl—it can restore their sense of identity.

To recreate Riefenstahl’s voice, ElevenLabs saved old recordings of Ed’s voice on its platform, including his personal intonations and typed words, to produce a more authentic result. Then, using that data, the company created a digital replica of Riefenstahl’s voice, which could be integrated into traditional text-to-speech platforms.

Voice-cloning technology doesn’t just transform the ability to communicate for people such as Riefenstahl—it can restore their sense of identity.

Riefenstahl types what he wants to say into software loaded on his own devices (such as a laptop, tablet, or smartphone). The software then speaks those words aloud, in his natural speaking voice.

The first thing he did after receiving his newly cloned voice in August 2024 was to call “the family into his office and hit play, saying, ‘Valerie, would you please bring me a glass of chardonnay?’” his wife shares in a . “We were so happy to hear his voice and amazed at the technology.”

Speaking Up, Speaking Out

When he heard the result, “I teared up and almost cried,” Riefenstahl told students in a business information systems course taught by his colleague Michele Gagne. He told his story in a session of the course that was dedicated specifically to the application of AI in business. “It felt like a part of me had been restored.” As he demonstrated how closely the technology replicated the sound of his own speaking voice, he also discussed its implications to both businesses and individuals.

For Riefenstahl, this application of AI hasn’t just returned his speaking voice to him—it has given him new hope for AI’s future impact. As he continues to adapt to life post-injury, he is optimistic about how technology can help others who are facing similar obstacles in their lives.

“I hope that my story can inspire others to explore the possibilities of technology and what it can do for them,” Riefenstahl told the students.

Using GenAI for Human Impact

Discussions about AI in the workplace often focus on how humans can apply the technology to increase efficiency or boost creativity, but Riefenstahl’s experience illustrates how the technology also promises to address profound personal challenges, says David Allen, Neeley’s senior associate dean for graduate programs.

“Ed’s journey serves as a powerful example of how technology, when harnessed effectively, can not only overcome personal obstacles but also inspire new ways of thinking and learning within the business world,” Allen says. Although humans still need to navigate the potential misuse of voice cloning, the technology “can enhance both education and personal lives.”

By sharing his experience, Riefenstahl teaches students about AI’s potential not only to solve business problems, but to transform people’s lives.

In this case, Allen adds, AI has allowed Riefenstahl to continue shaping experiential learning programs at Neeley. For instance, this semester, Riefenstahl returned to the classroom with his new voice. He will be able to continue coaching student teams in the MBA consulting program, as well as coordinate one-on-one meetings between his advisory board members and the student teams. 

Over the summer, he plans to deliver a critical thinking class on problem-solving and decision-making. He also plans to link his cloned voice with a personalized avatar, which he will use to deliver parts of the course that only he is certified to teach.