Two celebrities with iconic voices have struck offers with an AI firm to let others license AI clones of their voices — in the event that they approve. AI audio firm ElevenLabs introduced partnerships on Wednesday with actors Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine, in addition to the estates of a number of deceased public figures, to create AI-generated variations of their voices, out there for licensing by means of a public platform.
McConaughey is an investor in ElevenLabs, and he’ll use the AI-generated “clone” of his voice to create the Spanish audio variations of his Lyrics of Livin’ publication. In a press release to Selection, McConaughey stated AI audio from ElevenLabs permits him “to succeed in and join with much more folks” and inspired these growing AI audio instruments to “maintain going.”
British actor Michael Caine can be among the many celebrities whose voices will probably be AI-ified, together with Liza Minnelli. There are additionally the voices of historic figures, together with Maya Angelou, Judy Garland, Alan Turing, Richard Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer and Babe Ruth, amongst others. ElevenLabs created these AI voices through the use of historic recordings of their voices, with the help of their estates.
We have already seen quite a few celebrities bounce on the AI bandwagon. Final 12 months, Meta collaborated with a number of celebrities to deliver their voices to its Meta AI chatbots, together with Kristen Bell, Dame Judi Dench, and John Cena.
ElevenLabs’ new market is extra centered on serving to companies license these AI voices. ElevenLabs is a facilitator; you’ll be able to request to license a particular individual’s AI audio on ElevenLabs’ web site. The rights holder will overview your request, and if accepted, ElevenLabs will assist you to acquire entry to the know-how. You possibly can’t add a TikTok script and robotically have it learn in McConaughey’s voice, for instance.
Whereas ElevenLabs’ AI audio platform for superstar voices is not the identical as what Meta and even OpenAI’s Sora provide, it is one other occasion of celebrities teaming up with AI corporations. As AI audio, picture, and video instruments advance, these partnerships are a technique for celebrities and public figures to regain some management over their likenesses.
For people whose faces and voices are integral to their status and livelihood, generative AI presents each alternatives and dangers. Tasks like ElevenLabs’ iconic market are an opportunity for celebrities, public figures and influencers to make offers (and revenue) from permitting an AI firm to make use of their title, picture and likeness and provide it to customers. However it’s exhausting to manage AI instruments as soon as they’re on the market, and we all know that the techniques AI corporations use to forestall misuse aren’t good. It is why misinformation and deepfakes are a priority for all of us, particularly because it’s tougher than ever to identify AI-generated content material.
On the flip facet, there’s a bevy of lawsuits from publishers, mental property homeowners and content material catalogs. Many have sued AI corporations, alleging that AI customers can create too reasonable imagery that violates their copyright protections. Disney, Common and Warner Bros. are all suing AI agency Midjourney, alleging its AI picture generator does not adequately cease customers from creating AI photos of protected characters like Scooby Doo and Shrek. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s dad or mum firm, in April filed a lawsuit in opposition to OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in coaching and working its AI techniques.)
For extra, take a look at our hands-on expertise with ChatGPT-5’s voice mode.