Two voice actors are filing a federal class action lawsuit against an artificial intelligence startup for violating trademark law to train AI.
Paul Skj Lehmann and Linnea Sage were hired by AI company Lobo in 2019 and 2020 to provide audio clips for an internal study.
“They assured us in writing on three occasions that the information would be used for internal purposes only and would never be used in the future,” Lehman said.
But two years later, Lehrman said she was shocked to hear her own voice in YouTube videos and podcasts she had never recorded.
“My voice is being heard all over the place saying things I've never said before, places I didn't agree to be a part of,” he said. “We're at a point now where science fiction has become reality.”
Shock turned to anger as the performers probed further: They claimed the startup had duplicated the voices of Lehman and Sage, violating their respective contracts.
Lovo advertises an “AI voice cloning tool” that allows users to upload or record audio samples that are then converted into a custom voice clone. Experts say there are no federal laws against using AI to imitate someone else's voice.
“We need federal AI image rights protection, and we've needed it since yesterday,” said Ryan Schmidt of Bowen Law Firm. “Because AI can clone and replicate anyone, we need a uniform legal system that protects not just public figures and celebrities, but nearly all Americans and citizens.”
Lehmann and Sage said their voices are their livelihood, but now they're being taken away by AI.
“I'm very pessimistic about the future of voice-over work,” Sage said. “We've lost 75% of the work we normally do this year, and I expect it to get worse.”
“This is about protecting individuals who have a voice that could be misused,” Rahman added. “Unfortunately, that's everyone.”
Lobo did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CBS News.
Lehman and Sage's dispute is the latest over AI. Scarlett Johansson Johansson was “shocked, angry, and in disbelief” to discover that OpenAI's ChatGPT sounded similar to his own voice. Johansson had turned down an offer from OpenAI founder Sam Altman to be the voice behind ChatGPT's speech synthesis product. Altman said the voice was not Johansson's.
AI is, SAG-AFTRA strike Last year, new contracts with actors included restrictions on artificial intelligence: TV and film producers must get the actors' consent to use digital replicas, and they are also entitled to be compensated for this use.
