Judy Garland, a renowned actress, will be digitally brought back to life through AI technology, allowing her to narrate the children’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The new service is provided by ElevenLabs, an AI company that has recently launched its Reader app, which converts text into voice-overs. The app can handle various text formats, including articles, PDFs, e-books, and newsletters.
ElevenLabs has secured deals with the estates of deceased actors, such as Garland, James Dean, and Burt Reynolds, to use their voices in the app. Dustin Blank, head of partnerships at ElevenLabs, stated that the company respects the actors’ legacy and is honored to have their voices on the platform.
The use of AI in Hollywood is a growing trend, and this partnership sets a precedent for licensing and working with estates. However, it also raises questions about the ethical and creative implications of AI in industries like journalism and film.
In early 2022, ElevenLabs made headlines for creating a fake robocall from President Joe Biden, which sparked concerns about the authenticity of AI-generated content.
Recently, OpenAI came under fire for introducing a synthetic voice similar to Scarlett Johansson’s character in the film “Her.” Johansson expressed her disapproval, stating that she was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that the company would use her likeness without her consent.
While a person cannot copyright their own voice, copyright law protects recorded voices. David Gunkel, a professor at Northern Illinois University, explained that the AI is trained on old recordings, which are under copyright. The estates of the actors will receive compensation from licensing and agreements, similar to how a company negotiates a copyright deal to use a popular song by Queen in an advertisement.
Bern Elliot, a vice president and analyst at market research firm Gartner, noted that AI models can now be trained on fewer audio recordings, requiring minimal data to capture tone, speech patterns, and other elements. The bigger concern, according to Elliot, is determining what the owner of those recordings can or cannot do to monetize the voice.
Media companies are also increasingly using AI for voiceovers. For instance, NBC announced that it will bring back an AI-version of famed sportscaster Al Michaels for the Olympics this summer on its Peacock streaming platform. Michaels is being compensated for his involvement.
The reception of AI-generated voices by mass audiences and concerns around authenticity remain uncertain. However, Gunkel suggests that the market for celebrity voiceovers could expand significantly if celebrities can provide voiceovers without physically recording them.
