Morgan Freeman has condemned the unauthorised use of artificial intelligence to clone his voice, describing it as a form of theft. The 88-year-old actor, known for his distinctive narration in films such as The Shawshank Redemption and documentaries like March of the Penguins, said his lawyers have been kept 'very, very busy' dealing with such cases.
In an interview with The Guardian, Freeman expressed his frustration, stating: 'I’m a little PO’d, you know. 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 added that his legal team has uncovered 'quite a few' instances of unauthorised voice replication.
Freeman also criticised the concept of AI-generated actors, specifically referencing 'AI actress' Tilly Norwood, a virtual creation owned by talent studio Xicoia. 'Nobody likes her because she’s not real and that takes the part of a real person,' he said. 'The union’s job is to keep actors acting, so there’s going to be that conflict.'
The actor joins a growing list of creatives, including Scarlett Johansson and Emma Thompson, who have spoken out against the use of AI in the entertainment industry. However, some Hollywood figures have embraced the technology; Oscar winners Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine recently signed deals with AI audio company ElevenLabs to create authorised synthetic versions of their voices.
Freeman credited his voice and diction instructor, Robert Whitman, for helping him develop his iconic voice. He advised: 'If you’re going to speak, speak distinctly, hit your final consonants and do exercises to lower your voice.'
