Morgan Freeman Has Lawyers To Tackle AI Imitating His Voice

American actor Morgan Freeman has said his lawyers have had to tamp down unauthorised uses of his voice by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Freeman spoke during his appearance on the CBS Mornings Show, where he was asked to share his thoughts on AI replicating iconic actors’ voices and likenesses.

He said, “I have got lawyers. People have tried to replicate my voice with AI, my lawyers tamped that down.”

When asked whether he is open to being compensated for the use of his voice likeness in the creation of a character, the actor affirmed that he is, as long as he is compensated fairly.

“It is a different outlook. Some years ago, an English company paid me handsomely to let someone in England who could sound like me do an ad. That works.”

Freeman, alongside deceased actor James Earl Jones, is popular for their unique and iconic voice, which has been immortalised onscreen. Jones voiced Darth Vader (Star Wars), Mufasa (The Lion King), King Jafar (Aladdin), and others. Freeman voiced the character Red, the narrator in The Shawshank Redemption, and has since narrated several documentaries and films, including the latest project by Stephen Spielberg. Just released, the project is a four-part 4K screen documentary about dinosaurs.

Freeman is also the co-executive producer of ‘The Grey House’ with pal and screen partner in Robin Hood, Kevin Costner. The film, which has been 15 years in the making and is based on a true story, premiered on Prime Video on February 26.

The eight-part series tells the story of four southern women – a Virginia socialite, her mother, a formerly enslaved woman with a photographic memory, and a courtesan – who operated a secret spy network for the Union from inside Richmond, Virginia, during the war.

The series stars Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head, Amethyst Davis, and Ben Vereen.