ScotRail has introduced an AI-generated voice announcer called ‘Iona’ on select train services, despite some passengers expressing dissatisfaction with the new technology. The synthetic voice, developed by global technology company ReadSpeaker, uses an AI model to deliver announcements in a Scottish accent.
Passenger Reactions
Some passengers have voiced their unhappiness with the change, describing the AI voice as “robotic” and “unnatural.” One passenger told BBC Scotland, “It was weird. I could tell it was AI because it sounded so robotic.” Another passenger on social media platform X described the voice as sounding “unsure of what it is saying and questioning everything.”
ScotRail’s Response
In response to the criticism, ScotRail urged passengers to “give it time and it may grow on you.” The company explained that tricky Scottish place names are inputted phonetically to help the software avoid mispronouncing them. For example, ‘Milngavie’ is inputted as ‘Mill-guy’ and ‘Achnasheen’ as ‘Akna-sheen.’
Development and Implementation
The AI announcer was first trialled on a few trains in July 2024. The technology allows drivers or operators to type customized announcements on a computer, which ‘Iona’ then vocalizes. Currently, the system is used on certain services from Glasgow’s train stations, including routes to Ayr, Largs, Ardrossan, Barrhead, and Paisley from Glasgow Central, and to Inverness, Dundee, and Aberdeen from Glasgow Queen Street.
Industry Perspectives
The introduction of AI announcers has sparked debate among industry professionals. Rachel Nicholson, a voice coach and former actress based in Edinburgh, expressed concern that replacing human announcers with AI voices could affect jobs and the authenticity of local identity. “It’s really sad that they want to replace real humans and put them out of work,” she said.

Prof Peter Bell, a speech technology expert at the University of Edinburgh, noted that while AI-generated voices have improved significantly, they can still lack the authenticity that human voices provide. “People care a lot about the identity of an accent or a speaker, so they often treat it differently from other types of AI, as they don’t want to be fooled in that way,” he explained.
Future Possibilities
Roy Lindemann, co-founder of ReadSpeaker, emphasized that their technology uses AI to train the voice but is based on recordings from a real human speaker. He suggested that future developments could allow for more regional and local voices across different networks.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s customer operations director, stated that the new system would provide “flexibility” and “consistency” across their network. He emphasized that automated announcements complement human interaction rather than replacing it.
As the use of AI announcers continues to expand, ScotRail is monitoring passenger feedback while exploring the potential benefits of this technology in enhancing their customer information systems.