Hollywood stars’ estates agree to the use of their voices with AI

ElevenLabs, an AI company, is introducing digitally produced celebrity voice-overs of deceased actors such as Judy Garland, James Dean, and Burt Reynolds to its new Reader app. This app can convert text from articles, PDFs, e-books, and other formats into voice-overs. According to Dustin Blank, head of partnerships at ElevenLabs, the inclusion of these voices honors their legacy and aligns with the company's mission to make content accessible in various languages and voices. The company has made arrangements with the estates of these actors, although details about compensation remain undisclosed.

The move by ElevenLabs illustrates the potential of artificial intelligence in Hollywood and sets a precedent for licensing and collaborating with estates of deceased celebrities. This development highlights the rapid advancement of AI technology, which now has the capability to create realistic images, text, and sound, raising questions about its appropriate use in creative industries like journalism and film. ElevenLabs had previously attracted attention for its AI tool's controversial use in creating a fake robocall from President Joe Biden, illustrating the ethical dilemmas associated with synthetic voice technology.

The partnership with celebrity estates follows a similar controversy involving OpenAI's synthetic voice mimicking Scarlett Johansson. While a person's voice cannot be copyrighted, recordings of their voice can be, which is how ElevenLabs navigates legal boundaries. AI models now require fewer audio recordings to replicate voices accurately, posing questions about monetizing these voices. Media companies, such as NBC, are also embracing AI for voiceovers, as seen with their AI-version of Al Michaels for Olympic recaps. The market's reception of AI-generated voices and concerns about authenticity remain uncertain, but recognizable voices in audiobooks and other content are already in high demand.

For more information see Samantha Murphy Kelly "Hollywood stars’ estates agree to the use of their voices with AI", CNN, July 3, 2024.