The rapid emergence of Artificial Intelligence is widely being looked at as a threat for the creative industries including the entertainment world. While the technological advancement has put many in awe of tech science, both pros and cons of AI are being highlighted. AI’s misuse has become rampant, with issues like deepfake visuals and voice imitations of popular celebrities growing by the day.
While Scarlett Johansson recently spoke up against her voice being used by an AI platform without her consent, Morgan Freeman has also come forward with a similar claim. Freeman’s voice is considered iconic, and it’s no wonder that he puts ample value in it. But AI has seemingly stolen it, and Freeman has a strong worded warning for the stealers.
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Freeman Thanked His Fans For Making Him Aware Of AI Was Scam
Morgan Freeman is a celebrated personality in Hollywood, and among his many appreciated aspects is his voice. It has been specifically used for narration in various movies including ‘March of the Penguins’, ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby’. With the value it carried, its no surprise that the voice has been used illegally on TikTok by an AI tool.
The AI-generated voice was used by a woman on Tiktok posting as the actor’s “nepo niece.” After the video went viral, many of Morgan’s fans brought to his notice the usage of his voice through AI.
Morgan was quick to share a post expressing his gratitude for his fans and their efforts calling out the unauthorized AI imitations as the actor’s voice. Taking to social media, he voiced his opposition to the practice. Taking to X (Twitter), he wrote, “Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice imitating me”.
Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice imitating me. Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection
— Morgan Freeman (@morgan_freeman) June 28, 2024
“Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection,” the actor added.
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AI Has Taken Over The Entertainment Industry
This is not the first time that a celebrity has been affected by AI. Before Morgan, many celebrities have come forward with concern over the matter.
Scarlett Johansson’s legal team recently called for OpenAI to disclose how it created its AI personal voice assistant, Sky, and to pull the chatbot down for sounding extremely similar to her voice. She was also approached by the CEO Of OpenAI to use her voice for ChatGPT but she declined it due to “Personal reasons”.
In April, Drake also came under fire from Tupac Shakur’s estate for using AI imitation for the West Coast rapper on the song “Taylor Made Freestyle” dissing Kendrick Lamar. However, King, who takes care of the estate of Tupac sent a cease to Drake stating “blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.”
The song also used an AI-generated verse from Snoop Dog which he addressed on his Instagram saying, “They did what? When? How? Are you sure? Y’all have a good night.” And Drake took down the record a week after posting it.
Moreover, the famous SAG-AFTRA strike which led to a delay or even halt in the production of many high-budget films was also a part of actors’ and film fraternity’s attempt to block out AI’s potential impact on the industry.
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