A coalition of more than 80 performers in the United Kingdom, including actors Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville, are advocating for new legislation to protect individuals against unauthorized AI voice cloning. The group has signed an open letter to the government, expressing concerns that current laws are insufficient to address the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence technology.
"The law comes close, but it doesn't fully protect your voice, your face or your identity," Dr. Mathilde Pavis, a lawyer, stated in June regarding the inadequacy of existing legislation in the face of AI progress. The performers are requesting that the government grant every person in the UK a legal right to control their own voice.
Siobhán McSweeney, an actor known for the series "Derry Girls," voiced concerns about the government's pace in addressing AI's impact. "There is a way to work alongside AI and to use it as a tool that benefits us rather than rendering us obsolete," she said, emphasizing the importance of human connection in performance. "Our audiences want that human connection. Not AI."
Other signatories come from various performing industries, including Scottish singer Sandi Thom, whose 2006 hit song "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" brought her widespread recognition. Thom explained her decision to sign the letter by stating her voice is "unique to me and was handed to me at birth." She added, "Behind that voice is the emotion, the life, the pain, the tears and joy that I've felt along the way. Without creativity, we are nothing."
While many performers are concerned about potential misuse, the technology also offers benefits for some individuals. Yvonne Johnson, who lost her ability to speak due to motor neurone disease, shared her experience with BBC's Tech Life program. She described how having her voice cloned by AI had "totally blown her mind" and reconnected her with family members who had struggled to remember her original voice. Similarly, Pam Cronrath from Washington state utilized AI technology to create a holographic representation of her deceased husband, which addressed mourners at his funeral. Cronrath reported being "completely impressed" by the experience, noting that the digital presence "stayed with me."