Morgan Freeman speaks out against ai voice imitation: 'You're robbing me'

Hollywood icon Morgan Freeman has raised his voice in opposition to the unauthorised use of artificial intelligence to replicate his voice.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, the Oscar-winning actor condemned the trend of AI voice generation, labelling it as “robbery” when done without consent.

“I’m a little PO’d, you know”, Freeman confessed. “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’s remarks were aimed at the industry’s growing reliance on AI-generated voices to reduce costs, often at the expense of compensating the original artists. This perspective stands in stark contrast to that of fellow veteran actor James Earl Jones, who has embraced the digital replication of his voice.

The actor of Now You See Me disclosed that his voice has already been utilized without permission in several projects, prompting legal actions from his lawyers. “Well, I tell you, my lawyers have been very, very busy”, he noted with a wry smile.

Freeman’s strong stance underscores mounting concerns among Hollywood’s elite regarding the ethical implications of AI in entertainment and the irreplaceable value of human talent that technology cannot authentically replicate.