Morgan Freeman Speaks Out Against AI Scam Using His Voice
Actor Morgan Freeman has voiced his concerns over unauthorized attempts to replicate his iconic voice using artificial intelligence. On Friday, the Oscar-winning actor took to social media to thank his fans for alerting him to these imitations.
“Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice imitating me,” Freeman posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful.” He included hashtags like “scam” and “IdentityProtection.”
Reports indicate that a TikTok user, claiming to be Freeman's niece, had posted videos featuring narration supposedly generated by an AI version of Freeman's voice.
Freeman, renowned for his distinctive voice work in projects such as “March of the Penguins” and the Netflix series “Life on Our Planet,” as well as his role as the voice of CBS News, emphasized the importance of maintaining authenticity in voice work.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar controversy involving Scarlett Johansson. Last month, Johansson threatened legal action against OpenAI for allegedly copying her voice after she refused to license it. Johansson stated that after she declined OpenAI's request to use her voice for an AI system called “Sky,” the company mimicked her voice anyway. “When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” she said in her statement.
Freeman's public denouncement of AI-generated voice scams underscores a growing concern among celebrities about the unauthorized use of their voices, highlighting the need for stronger protections against such imitations.
