Morgan Freeman has said he is taking legal action against the people “robbing him” by using AI to recreate his iconic voice.
The acting great, 88, is known for his rich, deep speaking voice, which is remembered in particular for serving as the narration of films like The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby and March Of The Penguins.
In a new interview with The Guardian, however, he has revealed that the encroachment of AI into the creative process in the film industry has led to his voice being replicated without his permission.
“I’m a little PO’d, you know,” he said. “I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.”
He confirmed that he is already pursuing some of the “many” people that have done so. “Well, I tell you, my lawyers have been very, very busy,” he added.
In September, the Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden caused controversy when she debuted an AI actor named Tilly Norwood, which some speculated could become the first AI-generated character to be signed by a talent agency.
The move prompted criticism from many actors at the time, including Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne, and Freeman has also added his outrage to the Tilly Norwood phenomenon.
“Nobody likes her because she’s not real and that takes the part of a real person, so it’s not going to work out very well in the movies or in television,” he said. “The union’s job is to keep actors going, so there’s going to be that conflict.”
James Cameron, who has said he is exploring ways in which AI technology could help bring costs down in the film industry, also said he remains wary of the possible Terminator-like future it could bring about, and that he believes AI cannot replace the need for human artists and actors.
In music, the AI-generated Xania Monet recently became the first known AI “artist” to gain enough radio airplay in the US to debut on a Billboard chart, and has reportedly signed a multimillion-dollar record deal with Hallwood Media.
Freeman is currently starring the heist sequel Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, the latest entry in the magic-themed franchise that sees him reunite with Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco.
He also duetted with Al Green on a version of ‘Let’s Stay Together’ last New Year’s Eve for patrons of his Mississippi bar Ground Zero.