Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration has given permission for the use of an AI-cloned voice of President Donald Trump in a new Fannie Mae ad.
- The ad promises an "all new Fannie Mae" and calls the institution the "protector of the American Dream."
- The administration is making a push to show voters it is responding to concerns about affordability, including in the housing market.
- Trump plans to talk about housing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
- The use of AI to replicate Trump’s voice is not unique, as First Lady Melania Trump has also used AI technology to voice the audio version of her memoir.
Introduction to the Fannie Mae Ad
The Trump administration has given permission for the use of an AI-cloned voice of President Donald Trump in a new Fannie Mae ad. The voice in the ad promises an "all new Fannie Mae" and calls the institution the "protector of the American Dream." This move comes as the administration is making a big push to show voters it is responding to their concerns about affordability, including in the housing market. As President Trump’s digitized voice says in the one-minute ad, "For generations, home ownership meant security, independence, and stability. But today, that dream feels out of reach for too many Americans not because they stopped working hard but because the system stopped working for them."
The Role of Fannie Mae in the Housing Market
Fannie Mae and its counterpart Freddie Mac, which have been under government control since the Great Recession, play a crucial role in the housing market. They buy mortgages that meet their risk criteria from banks, which helps provide liquidity for the housing market. The two firms guarantee roughly half of the $13 trillion U.S. home loan market and are a bedrock of the U.S. economy. The ad says Fannie Mae will work with the banking industry to approve more would-be homebuyers for mortgages. As the administration plans to roll out "some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history," the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be closely watched.
Trump’s Plans for the Housing Market
Trump has pledged to roll out "some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history." The administration has floated several proposals, including extending the 30-year mortgage to 50 years in order to lower monthly payments. However, Trump appeared to back off the proposal after critics said a longer-term loan would reduce people’s ability to create housing equity and increase their own wealth. Trump has also said on social media that he was directing the federal government to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds, a move he said would help reduce mortgage rates at a time when Americans are anxious about home prices.
The Use of AI in the Ad
The use of an AI-cloned voice of President Trump in the Fannie Mae ad is interesting given that he has complained about aides in the Biden administration using autopen to apply the former president’s signature to laws, pardons or executive orders. An autopen is a mechanical device that is used to replicate a person’s authentic signature. However, a report issued by House Republicans does not include any concrete evidence that autopen was used to sign Biden’s name without his knowledge. The use of AI to replicate Trump’s voice is not unique, as First Lady Melania Trump has also used AI technology to voice the audio version of her memoir. As ElevenLabs, the AI technology firm that worked with Melania Trump, said in an email to The Associated Press, they did not generate the audio of Trump’s voice for the Fannie Mae ad.
Conclusion and Future Plans
The Trump administration’s plans for the housing market will be closely watched in the coming months. With the use of an AI-cloned voice of President Trump in the Fannie Mae ad, the administration is making a big push to show voters it is responding to their concerns about affordability. As Trump plans to talk about housing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, it remains to be seen how the administration’s plans will play out. As the White House did not respond to a request for comment, it is unclear who cloned President Trump’s voice for the Fannie Mae ad. However, one thing is clear: the use of AI in the ad is a sign of the increasingly important role of technology in politics and marketing.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-voice-ai-housing-fannie-ad-davos-7a792aed20c56bcc3f7b53733ec331ad