Should Voices Be Protected From AI Usage

Most people speak without ever thinking that their voices could be mimicked or copied. As artificial intelligence advances though, voices can become copied and made to speak words they have never spoken before.  

Random users on websites like YouTube are already uploading videos of famous people or characters “singing” a song even if they have never done so before. Famous voices like Darth Vader can “sing” songs like “I Want It That Way” even though the character has never sung that song in any movie or show. Likewise, singers who are gone like Michael Jackson can “sing” songs they have never performed, like “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence. This is all fun and games until companies begin to monetize AI voice usage. Then, even the sound of our voices could become packaged and sold.  

OpenAI revealed GPT-40, its latest AI, featuring an audio-interacting persona called “Sky.” The AI was programmed with a voice that reportedly sounds like Scarlett Johansson. The actress said she had previously turned down at least two requests from OpenAI to use her voice for the system. OpenAI has stated that the voice belongs to a different actress, but it would remove Sky’s voice from the company’s products.  

Johansson’s attorneys have demanded that OpenAI disclose the details of the company’s process by which it developed Sky’s voice. Johansson has said that even her closet friends could not tell the difference between Sky’s voice and her own. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also stated the movie “Her” which stars Johansson, is his favorite movie. However, OpenAI claim that an actress was hired in June 2023 to create the Sky voice, months before Johansson was contacted. 

The AI voice assistance system is expected to be publicly available soon.  

Is It Possible to Steal Someone’s Voice?  

Identity theft is recognized as a crime in most states. People are not allowed to use the names, social security numbers, or identifying information of others without their knowledge or consent. Our voices should be no different, especially since some security features identify users through speech. Voices are slowly entering the realm of intellectual property. For instance, James Earl Jones contracted with Disney in September 2022 for the use of his voice to create AI capable of replicating Darth Vader for future movies and shows. If actors can contract the usage of their voices, studios should have to compensate those actors for that usage.  

As it turns out though, OpenAI may have simply used a different actresses’ voice altogether. Voices are not 100% distinct and some people may sound like each other, just like some people look like one another. It is not a crime to look or sound like someone else, and people should not be penalized just for looking or sounding like a more famous person.  

If AI voice usage becomes more widely used in the future, courts will have to focus on a case by case basis to determine if companies like OpenAI are trying to steal someone’s voice or just using another person. When in doubt though, companies should just hire voice actors and pay them to read lines rather than try to use AI to mimic them.  

Do I Need a Lawyer?  

You should contact a skilled intellectual property lawyer if you need to protect your intellectual property rights or facing an infringement issue. A lawyer can help you navigate intellectual property laws and will represent your best interests with any legal disputes.