Voice-over artists fearing AI is desperate to terminate them, like farmer McGregor in hot pursuit of Peter Rabbit, will be relieved to learn that their talents have a new lease of life, thanks to AI.
To understand how the classical art of storytelling can fuse with cutting-edge AI translation technology, to open new opportunities, Guildhawk partnered with acclaimed British actor Sir Timothy Ackroyd.
Together, they decided to apply the same AI tools they use for corporate training videos, to make Sir Timothy’s readings of The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter multilingual. Their mission was to make inspiring stories accessible to children around the world who do not speak English.
Sir Timothy has a voice of rare distinction, steeped in classic English elegance, praised by Sir John Gielgud as, “The most beautiful English-speaking voice”.
To capture his rich, velvety voice with authenticity and resonance demanded precision.
So, Guildhawk began by recording Sir Timothy’s live narration of the beloved tales using a professional film crew, lighting, sound, and a location setting that echoed the timeless magic of the Beatrix Potter tales.
His performance was then digitally captured to create a lifelike AI avatar and a voice clone that preserves his distinctive tone, cadence, and expressive mannerisms.
Image: Sir Timothy's avatar narrating the story of Peter Rabbit
The script was translated using GAI Translate, the proprietary AI translation software developed by Guildhawk and Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom. The solutions one-click expert review function was used for human editing, localisation and transcreation by an expert Mandarin speaking linguist. This ensured the names of characters, descriptions, tone, pace of the storytelling all remained faithful to both Potter’s original characters and Sir Timothy’s live story-telling session.
Using the latest AI tools from Synthesia and ElevenLabs, Guildhawk then produced two Mandarin-language versions of the tales. The first is an avatar performance, in which Sir Timothy’s digital twin narrates the story in Mandarin, replicating his original expressions and gestures.
The second is an AI dubbed version with the Mandarin audio overlaid onto the original English video using the latest instant AI dubbing technology that was verified by a Guildhawk certified linguist.
Initial feedback from native Mandarin speakers is overwhelmingly positive, with a clear preference for the avatar version, which was praised for accurately capturing Sir Timothy’s voice and emotional delivery.
After viewing the productions, Sir Timothy said, “The power and authenticity of the AI was astonishing.”
Asked if he saw this as an opportunity or a threat to artists, he said,
“I was initially sceptical. Nothing matches the beauty of the spoken work. But this creates the opportunity for millions of children to enjoy these magical, inspiring, timeless stories from a golden era of storytelling.”
Ruby Qu, an expert linguist at Guildhawk who project managed the multilingual video productions said,
“Working with Sir Timothy was a joy.” Adding,
“Our goal was to capture Sir Timothy’s unique personality, preserve the charm of Beatrix Potter’s world while making the stories resonate with Mandarin-speaking audiences. The avatar’s performance was so authentic, it moved many viewers.”
Guildhawk founder and coder Jurga Zilinskiene MBE spoke of her excitement saying,
“Storytellers have always brought hope, meaning, and imagination to life. AI can never replace the soul of the artist, but as we’ve seen with Sir Timothy, it can help our voices reach and inspire millions across languages and for generations to come.”
Sir Timothy and Guildhawk will now expand the initiative to include more stories and languages, bringing timeless tales to life for children across the globe.
Sir Timothy Ackroyd is a distinguished British actor and writer, celebrated for his performances in West End productions such as Macbeth, Man and Superman, and Pygmalion. Renowned for his philanthropic work, he co-founded the Tusk Trust, supporting conservation across Africa, and chairs the Ackroyd Trust, which aids drama and music students. Sir Timothy’s career spans decades, marked by his unique artistry and commitment to the spoken word.
Guildhawk was founded in 2001 by female tech entrepreneur Jurga Zilinskiene MBE its clients include Mitsubishi, Barclays, Sandvik and the UN. The company has uniquely blended Queen’s Award-winning human translation with ISO:27001 certified software development. The company developed GAI Translate, an ISO-secure AI-powered translation software with the first one-click expert review feature to verify AI translations in high-risk industries. In 2025, GAI won the SSEA Market Disruptor Award and recognition from the UK government.
Synthesia is a London-based AI company founded in 2017 that enables users to create professional videos using synthetic avatars and voice technology. Its platform is widely used by global enterprises for training, marketing, and communication, allowing video creation in multiple languages without cameras or studios.
ElevenLabs, founded in 2022, is an AI audio company specialising in ultra-realistic voice synthesis and cloning. Its platform allows creators and businesses to generate lifelike, multilingual speech for dubbing, narration, and accessibility, serving industries from media to education.
Media enquiries
ruby.qu@guildhawk.com