Morgan Freeman on unauthorized AI voice cloning: “You’re robbing me”

Actor Morgan Freeman has spoken out against using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone his voice without his permission.

Freeman, star of movie The Shawshank Redemption, has arguably one of the most recognizable male voices in Hollywood. Unsurprisingly, there are people who want to exploit it.

Freeman recently told The Guardian that his lawyers “have been very busy” pursuing cases where his voice was cloned without his permission.

“I’m a little PO’d, you know. I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it, and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me,” Freeman said.

Many celebrities have protested against the use of AI to clone their voices and likenesses, often for fraudulent purposes.

Last year, Tom Hanks warned his fans against ads promoting “miracle cures and wonder drugs” using his AI-generated voice without his consent.

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Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Stevie Wonder, and more than 200 other artists have called on AI companies to halt the development of AI tools that replace human artistry or deny artists fair compensation for their work.

Others, however, are exploring ways to have their voices cloned legally and ethically. For instance, actors Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey have recently signed a deal with an AI voice cloning company, ElevenLabs.

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