Actor criticizes AI deepfake that imitates Morgan Freeman’s voice: Technology: Tech Times

A deepfake using artificial intelligence (AI) that mimics the voice of Morgan Freeman as a narrator recently went viral on TikTok, catching the attention of the actor himself.

The actor reportedly strongly criticized the unauthorized AI voice, calling it a “hoax.” In a Facebook post, he thanked his followers for their vigilance and help in exposing the misuse of an AI voice that impersonated him.

He went on to say that his fans’ devotion “ensures that authenticity and integrity remain our top priority.” His post included several hashtags, including fraud, AI, impersonation, and identity protection.

The video begins with: “Welcome to my niece’s everyday life, narrated by me, Morgan Freeman.” Although the creator included the hashtag “ai” in the caption, some users still fell for it. Sadly, Freeman’s name and image have been misused on previous occasions without his consent.

A video sent by her cousins ​​to the vice president of the actress’ production company, Revelations, apparently showed Freeman firing her. In 2021, another video titled “This is Not Morgan Freeman” went viral online. The video featured the actress in both visual and audio form and highlighted advances in AI.

In addition to Morgan Freeman, a deceased celebrity is also the victim of an AI deepfake

More and more celebrities are falling victim to unauthorized AI impersonations, including the late comedian George Carlin. The podcast “Dudesy” aired an AI-generated comedy special in January.

The late comedian’s estate subsequently sued the Dudesy podcast and its creators for using AI to imitate Carlin’s voice and mannerisms without permission.

The lawsuit was settled in April after the creators of Dudesy agreed to permanently delete the comedy special and not re-air it on any platform. Although Carlin died in 2008, his voice was heard in the hour-long special, titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead.”

Josh Schiller, a lawyer for Mr. Carlin’s estate, said Dudesy’s creators, Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, had also agreed not to use Carlin’s voice, image or likeness on any platform without the estate’s permission.

While other details of the deal were confidential, Schiller pointed out that the settlement did not include any financial damages. The comedian’s daughter, Kelly Carlin, expressed satisfaction that the matter was resolved.

When the AI-generated special first aired, she criticized it, saying it was “a poorly executed recreation cobbled together by unscrupulous individuals.”

Also read: Teachers, victims of explicit AI deepfakes by students

Legal measures against AI deepfakes

AI-generated deepfakes and artist rip-offs are getting worse. In February, bipartisan U.S. senators supported the DEFIANCE Act, also called the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024.

The main objective of this proposed law is to address the growing problem of deepfakes and misleading content that is widespread on the Internet.

In view of the concerns about the dissemination of harmful and counterfeit films and photographs, particularly ‘digital counterfeits’, the law aims to provide victims with a legal framework to take legal action against those who distribute such misleading materials.

Related article: Biden-Hur interview not publicly available due to AI deepfake threats, Justice Department says

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