In a significant move, generative AI company ElevenLab has hired the team behind Omnivore, an open-source read-it-later app. This acquisition is expected to give ElevenLabs an even larger platform to create accessible and engaging experiences for serious readers.
A Commitment to the Developer Community
In a blog post, Omnivore co-founders Jackson Harper and Hongbo Wu said that joining ElevenLabs would enable them to expand their reach and make a greater impact on the developer community. They wrote:
"Joining ElevenLabs gives us an even larger platform to create accessible and engaging experiences for serious readers… We’re excited about the prospect of working with the talented team at ElevenLabs to drive innovation in AI-powered reading and listening experiences."
ElevenLabs is committed to supporting the developer community, and the Omnivore codebase will remain 100% open-source for all users. This decision ensures that the broader development community can continue to build upon and improve Omnivore’s technology.
A Seamless Transition
Omnivore users have until November 16 to export their data, at which point it will be deleted. Harper and Wu launched Omnivore in 2021 with the goal of building a read-it-later solution for people who prefer text-based content. The app offers a range of features, including highlighting, PDF and offline support, apps for web, iOS, and Android, and extensions for every major web browser.
One notable feature of Omnivore is its integration with ElevenLabs’ voice generation API, which provides ultra-realistic AI voices for listening to articles and books. Harper and Wu wrote:
"We came to know ElevenLabs by integrating their ultra-realistic AI voices into Omnivore… Soon enough, listening to articles and books with ElevenLabs voices became one of our most popular features in Omnivore."
Investing in ElevenReader
With the move to ElevenLabs, Harper and Wu will be investing their development efforts in ElevenReader, ElevenLabs’ own reader app. They have already shipped valuable updates to ElevenReader, which allows users to upload articles, PDFs, and e-books and listen to them in different languages and voices.
ElevenReader features a range of innovative capabilities, including the ability to upload content from various sources and access it in multiple formats. The app also offers text-to-speech functionality, powered by ElevenLabs’ voice generation API.
A Bright Future for Readers Everywhere
Harper and Wu are excited about the prospect of working with the team at ElevenLabs to drive innovation in AI-powered reading and listening experiences. They wrote:
"Our team is joining ElevenLabs to help drive the future of accessible reading and listening with ElevenReader… We’re hard at work ensuring an accessible, bright future for readers everywhere."
ElevenLabs has made significant progress in recent months, becoming a unicorn after raising $80 million from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz. The company is now being approached by backers about a new funding round that could value the company at around $3 billion.
A New Era for AI-Powered Reading and Listening
The acquisition of Omnivore’s team by ElevenLabs marks an exciting new chapter in the development of AI-powered reading and listening experiences. With their combined expertise, Harper and Wu will be driving innovation in this space, creating accessible and engaging experiences for readers everywhere.
What’s Next?
As the team at ElevenLabs continues to work on ElevenReader, we can expect to see even more innovative features and capabilities emerge. The integration of Omnivore’s technology with ElevenLabs’ voice generation API will undoubtedly lead to new breakthroughs in AI-powered reading and listening experiences.
One thing is clear: the future of reading and listening is bright, and ElevenLabs is at the forefront of this revolution.
About ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs is a generative AI company that specializes in developing innovative AI tools for generating realistic voices. The company has made significant progress in recent months, becoming a unicorn after raising $80 million from investors.
About Omnivore
Omnivore is an open-source read-it-later app that offers a range of features, including highlighting, PDF and offline support, apps for web, iOS, and Android, and extensions for every major web browser. The app was launched in 2021 with the goal of building a read-it-later solution for people who prefer text-based content.
