Academy Award-winning actors Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine have entered into an agreement with AI audio firm Eleven Labs.
The New York-based company is now authorized to produce AI-generated voice replicas as part of its initiative to tackle “significant ethical challenges” in the intersection of artificial intelligence and Hollywood.
McConaughey, who has also invested in the company and collaborated with them since 2022, will allow Eleven Labs to produce a Spanish audio version of his newsletter “Lyrics of Livin'” using his voice.
In a statement, the Dallas Buyers Club star expressed his admiration for Eleven Labs and hoped this collaboration would enable him to “reach and connect with an even broader audience.”
Eleven Labs is launching the Iconic Voices Marketplace, allowing brands to collaborate and utilize officially licensed celebrity voices for AI-generated applications. Caine’s new agreement includes his iconic voice in this lineup.
“For years, I have lent my voice to stories that inspire people—tales of bravery, ingenuity, and the human experience,” Caine stated. “Now, I am helping others to discover their voice. With Eleven Labs, I can save and share everyone’s voice, not just mine.”
He further mentioned that the company “leverages innovation to celebrate humanity, not to replace it,” asserting that it “does not replace voices, it amplifies them.”
Caine has also revealed plans to return from retirement to co-star with Vin Diesel in The Last Witch Hunter 2.
Other voices featured in the marketplace include legendary Hollywood figures like John Wayne, Rock Hudson, and Judy Garland, alongside contemporary stars such as Liza Minnelli and Art Garfunkel. The list also encompasses notable figures like Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Maya Angelou, and Alan Turing.
Recently, Eleven Labs was valued at approximately $6.6 billion.
This news follows a series of celebrity and AI partnership agreements, including various celebrities who have consented to allow Meta to utilize their voices. Last year, the company released a list that featured Judi Dench, John Cena, and Kristen Bell.
Other stars, including Ashton Kutcher and Leonardo DiCaprio, have also made investments in AI enterprises.
Source: www.theguardian.com
