Martha Stewart Slams Viral AI Narrator Voice as 'Awful'

The lifestyle icon says the high-pitched, robotic-sounding voice is 'worse than any voice that was ever on radio'.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Martha Stewart recently criticized a popular AI text-to-speech voice that has become ubiquitous on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. In a podcast appearance, the 84-year-old lifestyle guru called the high-pitched, robotic-sounding voice 'awful' and said it's 'worse than any voice that was ever on radio.' Stewart's comments highlight growing backlash against the surge of synthetic narrators on social media.

Why it matters

The AI text-to-speech voice Stewart described has become a polarizing trend, with some viewers finding it grating and unnatural. Her criticism shines a light on the broader debate around the rise of AI-generated content and the potential impact on the quality of online media.

The details

During a February 16 appearance on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, Stewart slammed the viral AI narrator voice, saying 'It's the voice of a robot. That voice... that is an awful voice.' She added that the sound is used in 'really good projects' but feels like an announcer's voice that's been pushed into something harsher and less natural. While Stewart didn't name a specific voice, her description matches the male AI text-to-speech narrator common on TikTok and Instagram.

  • On February 16, 2026, Martha Stewart appeared on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast and criticized the viral AI narrator voice.

The players

Martha Stewart

An 84-year-old lifestyle guru and Emmy-winning TV host who recently slammed a popular AI text-to-speech voice used on social media platforms.

Lauryn and Michael Bosstick

The hosts of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, where Martha Stewart made her comments about the AI narrator voice.

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What they’re saying

“It's that voice. That guy's voice. I hate his voice so much. You know, the guy who is giving instructions all the time, that high kind of high-pitched voice. It's the voice of a robot. That voice... that is an awful voice.”

— Martha Stewart (The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast)

“I don't like that that same voice is used for so many, sometimes really good projects. It was based on a person's voice... but it's worse than any voice that was ever on the radio.”

— Martha Stewart (The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast)

The takeaway

Martha Stewart's criticism of the popular AI text-to-speech voice used across social media highlights the growing backlash against synthetic narrators and the potential impact on the quality of online content. Her comments underscore the broader debate around the rise of AI-generated media and the need to balance innovation with maintaining authenticity and natural human expression.