Susan Bennett

Susan Bennett is an American voice actress, singer, and public speaker with a career spanning music, broadcasting, and voice technology. Bennett began her professional journey as a backup singer for artists including Roy Orbison and Burt Bacharach, and recorded jingles such as the voice for Tillie the All-Time Teller, the first U.S. automated teller machine announcement. Her entry into voiceover work occurred at Doppler Studios in Atlanta when she was asked to substitute for an absent voice actor, leading her to pursue voice coaching and transition into the field.

Bennett's contributions to voice technology are significant. She was contracted by ScanSoft to provide voice recordings for a text-to-speech synthesis project, working from her home studio in Atlanta. Over approximately 20 days, she recorded isolated words, phrases, and sentences designed to capture a wide range of phonemes and intonations, resulting in a comprehensive voice database. These recordings were later licensed to Apple and used as the original female American voice of Siri, Apple's personal assistant, on the iPhone 4S. While Apple has not officially confirmed Bennett's role, audio-forensics experts have identified her as the voice of Siri.

After initially keeping her identity private, Bennett eventually revealed herself as the original voice of Siri. Following this revelation, she participated in numerous interviews and appeared on television programs including CNN's "New Day," "The Queen Latifah Show," "To Tell the Truth," and "The Mariah Carey Christmas Special." Her experience as the voice of Siri positioned her as a speaker on topics related to artificial intelligence, technology, and digital identity.

In addition to her work as Siri, Bennett's voiceover career includes projects such as the public address system for Delta Air Lines terminals worldwide, e-learning software, and GPS navigation systems. She also performs with two bands, Boomers Gone Wild and Canyon Ladies, while continuing to speak at conferences and corporate events. Bennett's experience highlights the intersection of technology and human expression, making her a recognized voice in discussions about AI, voice technology, and the evolution of digital assistants.