Nicola Coughlan and Matt Lucas among stars backing campaign against AI voice cloning

An open letter has been signed by approximately 80 individuals, including actors Nicola Coughlan, Hugh Bonneville, and Matt Lucas, in support of a campaign against AI voice cloning. The initiative, called Save Our Voices Now, also involves the participation of Luke Evans, Jen Brister, Siobhán McSweeney, and Pearl Mackie. The campaign aims to prevent the misuse of AI technology to replicate real people's voices for various purposes.

Hugh Bonneville, who is known for his roles in Paddington and Downton Abbey, emphasized that his voice is a unique and integral part of his identity, and that others' voices should be treated the same way. The campaign has also launched a petition urging the government to provide British citizens with ownership of their voice as a fundamental right.

Siobhán McSweeney, an actor from Derry Girls, expressed her concerns about the rapid advancement of AI technology and the lack of consideration given to legislation, contracts, working practices, ethics, and artists' rights. She believes that AI should be used as a beneficial tool rather than a means to render human actors obsolete.

The campaign highlights that 28% of UK adults have experienced voice-cloning scams, where AI systems can clone and interpret an individual's voice within three seconds without their knowledge. Peter Caulfield, the founder of Save Our Voices Now, warned that the government is allowing AI companies to exploit artists' voices without consent and that criminals can use AI to clone identities and threaten people.

In Denmark, legislation has been enacted to grant individuals legal ownership of their faces, bodies, and voices, enabling them to request the removal of unauthorized AI content and seek compensation.