Yanny or Laurel? The Internet Is at War Over a Robot Voice

The internet has gone berserk over the last day or so. More so than usual. Cloe Feldman, a social media influencer, posted a seemingly innocuous question to Twitter and sent everyone into a tizzy:

What do you hear?! Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/jvHhCbMc8I

— Cloe Feldman (@CloeCouture) May 15, 2018

She posted a short audio clip of a robotic voice saying a word. But which word? That’s the problem. Do you hear Yanny or Laurel? If you hear one, you hear it clear as day and it seems utterly impossible that someone might hear anything different. You hear Yanny? Lies, I tell you. Lies!

The debate brings to mind a similar question that drove the internet crazy a few years ago: the dress. Some people saw white and gold, and others saw blue and black. Mind blown.

But back to Laurel and Yanny for now.

There might be a simple explanation that is based on age:

https://twitter.com/thedextriarchy/status/996494149275832321

You either die a Yanny or live long enough to see yourself become a Laurel.

— Madison Malone Kircher (@4evrmalone) May 15, 2018

But I’m a few years younger than my husband (and I tend to believe my hearing is better than his), yet I heard Laurel, and he heard Yanny. What gives?

The sound clip has everyone losing their minds:

our entire newsroom right now divided by this #Yanny vs #Laurel debate pic.twitter.com/mt3w8C9yi5

— Alex Stockwell (@alexrstockwell) May 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/SarahSahim/status/996486283978559488

While this tactic might work for some, it did not work for me. I’m a die-hard Laurel all the way:

So, like, I listened to this pitch-changing version and heard both. Now when I listen to the original one I can make myself hear either Yanny or Laurel on cue. I AM EVOLVING IN REAL TIME https://t.co/xfwPXj3Vmj

— Kim Bhasin (@KimBhasin) May 15, 2018

What do you hear?