How CNN Found The Voice Of Siri

Susan Bennett

Susan Bennett was a voiceover artist reporter Jessica Ravitzwas interviewing for a CNN special project on the world's busiest airport -- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International -- scheduled to come out next month. She was tracking down the airport's voices, and Bennett, a voice of Delta terminals, was one of them.

In the course of a phone conversation, Ravitz asked her to rattle off some jobs she's had over the years. She gave me a quick and general rundown and then added that she's done a lot of IVR work.

"IVR?" Ravitz asked.

"Interactive voice response," she answered. "The sort of thing you hear on a company's phone system."

For reasons she can't explain, Ravitz  blurted out, "Hey, are you Siri?"

She gasped. And then I gasped.

What followed was a short, panicked flurry of non-denials and non-confirmations, and a promise from me that I wouldn't do or say a thing.

That was months ago. About two weeks ago, Bennett reached out to Ravitz. She was ready to speak as herself and set the record straight.

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