The legal framework surrounding the ownership of a voice in the UK remains unclear, despite the booming growth of AI voice technology. British-founded AI voice company ElevenLabs recently saw its valuation double to $22bn, making it one of the world's most valuable AI businesses.
This rapid technological advancement is raising concerns within the creative industries about the implications of sophisticated voice cloning for performers. Currently, UK law does not provide a standalone statutory right for individuals to own their voice, leaving performers to rely on existing contractual and legal protections.
Earlier this year, 80 actors, including Nicola Coughlan and Hugh Bonneville, signed an open letter advocating for stronger protections against AI voice cloning. While AI could offer benefits such as faster dubbing and new revenue streams through licensing, these opportunities depend on establishing appropriate agreements.