ZAP // Nathan Congleton / Flickr
Actors Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine (montage)
Is it possible to protect the copyright of a voice or register it as a trademark? An AI startup believes it has found the answer, proposing a legitimate way to license them.
Cloned voices have become a topic particularly sensitive. In addition to the risk of misinformation, actors increasingly demand compensation for the use of their vocal characteristics.
However, it remains a gray zone From a legal point of view: is it really possible to copyright or register a voice as a trademark?
Recently, established actors Matthew McConaughey e Michael Caine have partnered with the AI-based audio company to produce virtual replicas of their voices.
Collaboration allows both to explore new ways of telling storieswhile offering creators and companies controlled access to their vocal identities, says .
McConaughey, who invested in the New York-based startup, has collaborated with ElevenLabs since its founding in 2022. The actor is now using the company’s technology to launch a audio edition in spanish from his newsletter, , narrated in your own voice.
The collaboration between the actor and the startup reflects the growing interest in multilingual content and the AI’s potential to reach audiences that otherwise might not adhere to more conventional formats.
Startup technology converts human voices into digital replicas high fidelity. Creators and companies can use them to produce podcasts, audiobooks and other audio content, no need for physical presence do actor.
McConaughey described the platform as a way to communicate directly with listeners, maintaining the personal touch of your own narration.
Michael Caine, in turn, signed an agreement with ElevenLabs to use his voice in the recently released , which allows “licensing of legendary voices” — which is a good way to describe the British actor’s iconic voice.
The platform allows companies and creative teams request permission to use Caine’s voice in projects, including book narration, campaigns and digital media. ElevenLabs emphasizes that the service offers an ethical framework for licensing some of the most recognizable voices in the world.
The marketplace includes a vast list of voices from famous figures, from Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli to Maya Angelou, John Wayne and Babe Ruth.
By formalizing permissions and licensing agreements, ElevenLabs seeks to reduce ethical concerns around AI-generated media, while also offering storytellers access to historic or iconic voices.
Unfortunately, the Iconic Voice Marketplace does not have one of the most legendary and unmistakable voices in the history of cinema available: that of , an actor who, among others, gave the voice to Darth Vader and Mufasa, and who died in 2024.
