15 | |
|---|---|
 15's ponysona | |
| Occupation(s) | Artificial intelligence researcher, programmer |
| Known for | 15.ai and 15.dev |
15 is an artificial intelligence researcher and programmer best known for creating the text-to-speech web application 15.ai. In the early 2020s, they gained international recognition for pioneering accessible audio deepfake technology and popularizing AI voice cloning in memes and content creation. [1] [2] [3]
15 began developing deep learning speech synthesis technology in 2016 as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where they demonstrated the ability to replicate advanced speech synthesis results with minimal training data. [4] [5] In 2019, 15's startup company was accepted into Y Combinator. [6] In early 2020, they returned to research and launched 15.ai in March 2020, which gained viral popularity in 2021. [7] Contemporary generative voice AI companies and their CEOs, such as those of ElevenLabs and Speechify, have acknowledged 15.ai's pioneering role in their field. [8] [9]
On December 13, 2021, 15 announced that they had "no interest in incorporating NFTs into any aspect of [their] work." [10] In January 2022, 15 discovered that Voiceverse had used voice lines generated from 15.ai to create and sell an NFT without permission or attribution. [10] [11] [12] After examining server log files and finding evidence that Voiceverse had generated audio using 15.ai then manipulated it to disguise its origin, 15 publicly confronted Voiceverse on Twitter, ultimately responding with "Go fuck yourself" after Voiceverse confessed to the theft. [13] [10] [14] 15's response went viral and received widespread public support, amassing hundreds of thousands of retweets and likes. [6]
In May 2025, 15 launched 15.dev as a successor to 15.ai. [15]