Hearing the voice of Sir Laurence Olivier catch you up on work memos may not offer the same thrill as watching the acclaimed English actor on stage or screen, but it could make your morning commute more interesting. 

That’s the vision of artificial intelligence startup ElevenLabs, which this week announced that fans of Hollywood icons such as Judy Garland and James Dean can now listen to the voices of the deceased film stars narrate books, articles and other digital text.

The company said it had reached agreements with the estates of Olivier, Garland, Dean and Burt Reynolds to add their voices to a library of AI-generated voices on ElevenLab’s new Reader App. The product lets users listen to text on your phone, with the actors’ voices available for individual streaming. 

ElevenLabs did not provide details about any financial compensation it is offering to the actors’ estates.

“We deeply respect their legacy and are honored to have their voices as part of our platform,” Dustin Blank, head of partnerships at ElevenLabs said in a blog post. “Adding them to our growing list of narrators marks a major step forward in our mission of making content accessible in any language and voice.” 

Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland’s daughter and the representative of her estate, said in the post that her family is excited to “see our mother’s voice available to the countless millions of people who love her.” 

Using AI to recreate a version of someone’s voice has drawn negative attention after being used in nefarious ways, including the creation earlier this year of a phony robocall from President Joe Biden urging people not to vote in New Hampshire’s presidential primary. 

In another incident, actress Scarlett Johansson is May said she was “shocked, angered and in disbelief” after discovering that a voice option on OpenAI’s ChatGPT app sounded like her. Johansson had declined OpenAI founder Sam Altman’s offer to voice ChatGPT’s text-to-speech product. Altman said the voice is not Johansson’s.

AI was a key issue in the SAG-AFTRA strike last year. A new actor contract includes limits on artificial intelligence. Producers for TV and film must get consent from actors to use a digital replica, and performers are also entitled to compensation for using AI to create their virtual likeness.

Paris – As France prepares for a decisive second-round vote Sunday, political parties from all persuasions are scrambling to secure seats in the National Assembly. However, more than 200 candidates – mostly from left and centrist parties – have dropped out in a tactical move to block the far right.

Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party and its allies led the first round vote with 33.4%. However, after the significant number of withdrawals to avoid splitting the vote against the far right, it’s unlikely the RN can secure an absolute majority in this second round and form a government.

The RN is anti-immigration and has been accused of being antisemitic and anti-Muslim. It wants to roll back the power of the European Union in France and has threatened to pull the country out of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

There are 577 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. Just 76 deputies were elected with an outright majority in the first round so the majority of seats are still up for grabs. A total of 289 seats is needed for that crucial absolute majority.

Final opinion polls on Friday predicted the RN and its allies would again lead the field – but would now only secure between 175 and 205 seats, well below the majority needed to form a government on their own, and below predictions in the immediate aftermath of the first round. However, that is more than double the number of seats held before these elections.

The leftist group, Nouveau Front populaire, or New Popular Front, is predicted to take between 145 and 175 seats. That grouping of traditional left, hard left and green parties was hastily formed after President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections in June.

Macron hoped to rally voters against the far right after the RN did well in early June elections for the European parliament, which governs the European Union.

However, political analyst Douglas Webber told CBS News: “President Macron made a colossal error in judgment”.

His Ensemble – Together – centrist coalition for these parliamentary elections is tipped to win just 145-175 seats.

Polls predict voter turnout for this second round will be as high as 65%. That’s similar to the numbers for the first round on June 30. Turnout was unusually high as many voters said they either wanted to block the far-right, or just get rid of Macron’s government.

“Right now, we have big problems with the right wing,” said one young woman after the first round vote. “We want more democracy, you know, we don’t want people to feel afraid or scared about living in France.”

These elections have been marred by attacks on candidates. The interior ministry said 51 candidates or party activists – from different parties – were attacked during the short campaign. For Sunday’s vote, 30,000 police have been drafted in case of violence during polling or after the results are announced.

Initial predictions will be available shortly after the polls close in France on Sunday night. However, in the absence of an outright majority for one party or grouping, it may be days – or even weeks – before a government emerges.

RN president Jordan Bardella – who wants to be prime minister – has suggested that he would refuse to form a government if his party and allies do not win an outright majority. He argued that without a majority, his government could achieve little and, therefore, would not be worth it. Whether that is simply posturing to encourage all far-right supporters to vote in large numbers remains to be seen.

There is talk of a rainbow coalition of traditional left and right parties and centrists. But Macron made it clear on Wednesday at a meeting with his Council of Ministers, that blocking the far right did not mean that he would name a government led by the hard left LFI – La France Insoumise, or France Unbowed – led by Jean-Luc Melenchon. It remains to be seen if there would be enough deputies without the two extremes to form a government.

There is a third option. President Macron could decide to postpone forming a new government until after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which open on July 26. He could ask the current Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to continue in a caretaker role and then deal with the fallout of the elections once the Games are over.

Your home is a big investment, and for many homeowners, it’s their largest. If you’re trying to meet the money goals you’ve set to solidify your financial future, though, you could be trying to free up cash to make other types of investments. 

And, while it makes sense to try and find room in your budget to allocate more toward investing, you may have other options. For example, your home equity might be worth tapping into for investing via a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). These equity-tapping options allow you to borrow against your home equity, typically with competitive interest rates compared to unsecured loans. 

But is it a good idea to use money from your home’s equity for investing? Here’s what experts have to say. 

Find out how low your home equity rate could be now. 

Should you use your home equity to make an investment? Experts weigh in

There are times it makes sense to consider using your home equity to make an investment and times it doesn’t, experts say. Here’s what to factor in as you make your decision: 

The interest charges

While home equity loans and HELOCs typically offer competitive interest rates, it’s important to consider the cost of the interest you’ll pay and how it relates to your expected return before using one or the other to invest. 

“It depends on the rate you can get for a loan on your home equity,” says Alex Blackwood, co-founder and CEO of Mogul Club, a real estate investing app. “You have to approach it as a relative cost of capital. For example, if you can get an interest rate at 8% and make an investment that will achieve a 10% return, you should definitely make that investment because you are earning an incremental 2%.”

If your interest rate on the home equity loan or HELOC is higher than your rate of return, though, the investment likely wouldn’t be worth the total cost of the loan. 

Access more investment capital using your home equity today. 

The tax implications

If your investment is profitable, you may need to pay capital gains taxes on your profits. As such, be sure to factor in the potential cost of any tax implications that could arise when determining whether to tap into your home’s equity for investing purposes. 

“If you are confident that your after-tax returns will exceed the cost of capital, then it could be considered,” says Matt Willer, managing director of capital markets at Phoenix Capital Markets, an investment management firm. 

Other funding options

While many experts say that certain situations warrant using your home equity for investing, some say you should avoid doing so, as it may be too risky. 

“I can’t think of a situation when using home equity to make an investment is a good idea or in one’s long-term best interests,” says Rob Burnette, investment advisor representative at the financial planning firm, Outlook Financial Center. 

“I typically don’t recommend using home equity to make an investment,” says William “Billy” Hatton, CFP, owner of Billfold Budget Counseling. “While you may be diversifying your real estate exposure, you’re still taking out debt for an investment, which is a risky proposition.”

In turn, you may want to consider weighing any other funding options you have instead.

Talk about your home equity borrowing options with a professional today. 

The bottom line

Whether or not it makes sense to use your home’s equity to fund your investments depends on a range of factors. As you decide whether it’s the best path for you, be sure to weigh the cost of the loan and the tax implications of the investment against your potential returns as you make this decision. And, in some cases, you may want to avoid this route altogether and consider the other funding options you have before tapping into your equity.