Not having a go at anyone who makes that choice, but: 1) It does make me sad. 2) Surely you can’t have it both ways. 3) I’d rather look at a child’s scrawl on a napkin than look at that weird soulless smoothed-out slop.

AI audiobooks are also a thing now. Some indie authors are opting for them (through apple books?) as cheaper alternatives to human narration.