“The Little Mermaid” story serves as a cautionary tale for the modern world, as Scarlett Johansson faced a situation where her voice was imitated without her consent. When requested to lend her voice to OpenAI’s AI tool ChatGPT-4o, Johansson declined, only for the company to present another actor who sounded like her. This incident highlights the threat AI poses to our ownership of our voices, as technology can be used to mimic our voices without our permission. The rise of AI tools like Meta’s Audiobox further emphasizes this issue, as voices can be cloned and synthesized without the knowledge or consent of the original owners. This challenges the notion of trust, as we must now navigate a world where our voices are vulnerable to manipulation and misuse.
The trust and safety policies of companies like Meta and Google are under scrutiny, as they navigate the responsibility of safeguarding the privacy and ownership of voices in the age of AI. Companies like OpenAI, who lack a legacy of trust, must work to build credibility and ensure that consent is respected. The issue of ownership becomes further complicated by copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft over the texts used to train their AI models, raising questions about copyright and intellectual property in the realm of AI. As AI continues to advance in capabilities, society must confront the reality that AI may encroach on human abilities and rights, requiring a reevaluation of ethical and legal frameworks.
Governments are beginning to address the need for regulations in the AI space, as seen in the FCC’s prohibition of AI-cloned voices in robocalls. However, the rapid advancement of AI technology has outpaced the development of safeguards and rules, leaving individuals vulnerable to voice manipulation and exploitation. While complete protection may be challenging, awareness of the potential for voices to be detached from their original owners is crucial in navigating the AI landscape. As debates around AI ownership and privacy unfold, it is essential for individuals and companies to prioritize transparency, consent, and ethical practices to ensure the responsible development and use of AI technologies in society.
