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 via 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’ e-newsletter. In a press release to Variety, McConaughey mentioned AI audio from ElevenLabs permits him “to achieve and join with much more folks” and inspired these creating AI audio instruments to “maintain going.”
British actor Michael Caine can also be among the many celebrities whose voices will likely 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 convey their voices to its Meta AI chatbots, together with Kristen Bell, Dame Judi Dench, and John Cena.
ElevenLabs’ new market is extra targeted on serving to companies license these AI voices. ElevenLabs is a facilitator; you may request to license a particular individual’s AI audio on ElevenLabs’ web site. The rights holder will overview your request, and if authorized, ElevenLabs will make it easier to acquire entry to the know-how. You’ll be able to’t add a TikTok script and robotically have it learn in McConaughey’s voice, for instance.
Whereas ElevenLabs’ AI audio platform for celeb voices is not the identical as what Meta and even OpenAI’s Sora supply, it is one other occasion of celebrities teaming up with AI firms. 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 repute and livelihood, generative AI presents each alternatives and dangers. Initiatives 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 supply it to shoppers. But it surely’s onerous to manage AI instruments as soon as they’re on the market, and we all know that the techniques AI firms use to forestall misuse aren’t perfect. It is why misinformation and deepfakes are a priority for all of us, particularly because it’s harder than ever to spot AI-generated content.
On the flip facet, there’s a bevy of lawsuits from publishers, mental property homeowners and content material catalogs. Many have sued AI firms, alleging that AI customers can create too real looking imagery that violates their copyright protections. Disney, Common and Warner Bros. are all suing AI firm Midjourney, alleging its AI picture generator does not adequately cease customers from creating AI pictures of protected characters like Scooby Doo and Shrek. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s mother or father 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.
