Certified-Human Performance Standard

What “Certified-Human” Means …

Certified-Human is Academy Voices’ designation for audiobook narration that is entirely human-originated, consent-based, ethically produced, and transparently disclosed.

This standard exists to document how a narration was created in an era of rapidly evolving audio technology. It is not a marketing claim, a value judgment, or a prediction about the future of publishing.

Certified-Human simply records one thing clearly:
a real human voice performed this work, with informed consent and defined boundaries.

Core Principles of Certified-Human

A narration designated as Certified-Human meets all of the following criteria.

1. Human-Originated Performance

The audiobook narration is performed by a real human voice actor, using their natural voice.

This means:

• No synthetic voices
• No AI-generated narration
• No voice cloning
• No automated or algorithmic performance systems

All interpretation, pacing, emotional delivery, and performance decisions originate from the human narrator.

2. Consent-Based Production

The narrator has knowingly and explicitly consented to:

• The recording of their voice
• The distribution of the audiobook
• The specific uses outlined in their agreement

Consent under the Certified-Human standard is:

• Informed — the narrator understands what is being produced
• Voluntary — participation is optional
• Specific — limited to defined works and uses

Consent is never assumed, implied, or retroactively applied.

3. Ethical Use Boundaries

Certified-Human narration is produced with clear and documented boundaries regarding technology and reuse.

Certified-Human audio:

• Is not used for artificial intelligence training
• Is not used for voice cloning or synthesis
• Is not sublicensed for machine learning or automated voice systems

Any use beyond standard audiobook production, distribution, and promotion requires separate, explicit written consent from the narrator.

4. Transparent Disclosure

Certified-Human is a disclosure standard, not a promotional label.

It communicates that:

• The narration was performed by a human voice actor
• The narrator consented to the performance and its distribution
• The audio is distributed within clearly defined limits

Where relevant, Academy Voices may disclose whether a title was:

• Produced under current Certified-Human standards, or
• Produced under earlier standards prior to the formal certification framework

No title is misrepresented.

Scope of Certification

Certified-Human applies prospectively, not retroactively.

• New narrations may be reviewed and designated Certified-Human upon request
• Legacy titles may remain distributed under the standards in place at the time of their production
• Certification is optional, not mandatory

Certification does not alter:

• Ownership
• Compensation
• Royalty structures
• Existing contractual terms

It documents process — not control.

What Certified-Human Is Not

Certified-Human does not mean:

• Guaranteed income or placement
• Exclusive representation
• Moral judgment of other production methods
• A rejection of future technology

It is not a promise about what will happen next.
It is a record of how the work was created.

Why Academy Voices Uses This Standard

Academy Voices publishes audiobooks as long-term cultural and educational works. As production tools evolve, clear documentation matters — for narrators protecting their voices, for authors protecting their works, and for listeners who value transparency.

Certified-Human exists to provide that clarity without fear-based messaging, hype, or exclusion.

Narrator Participation

Narrators may submit eligible works for Certified-Human designation by:

• Affirming human-originated performance
• Signing the Certified-Human consent form
• Acknowledging the ethical use boundaries

Certification status may be updated or withdrawn if the standard is misrepresented or violated.

In Summary

Certified-Human means:

• A real human voice
• Informed consent
• Ethical boundaries
• Transparent disclosure

Nothing more — and nothing less.