Actors Hit AI Startup With Class Action Lawsuit Over Voice Theft

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses a lawsuit filed by voiceover actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage against AI startup LOVO, accusing the company of misappropriating their voices and those of other A-list talents to train its AI system without their consent. The lawsuit seeks to represent other voiceover artists who believe their voices were misappropriated by LOVO.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Lawsuit against LOVO

1. What are the key allegations made in the lawsuit against LOVO?

• The lawsuit accuses LOVO of misappropriating the voices of voiceover actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage, as well as those of other A-list talents like Scarlett Johansson, Ariana Grande, and Conan O'Brien, to train its AI system without their consent.
• The lawsuit claims LOVO marketed the misappropriated voices as part of its subscription service, using stage names like "Kyle Snow" and "Sally Coleman" for Lehrman and Sage's voices respectively.
• The lawsuit alleges LOVO falsely represented that it had the legal right to market these voices when it did not.

2. What are the potential impacts on the voiceover actors described in the article?

• Lehrman estimates he has seen a 50% decline in his work since last year, not only due to fewer job opportunities but also the "degradation of [his] reputation" as his voice is used to say things he wouldn't say and be associated with brands he wouldn't work with.
• Sage is concerned that the continued misappropriation of her voice by companies like LOVO could lead to 99% of voiceover work being replaced by AI voices, potentially displacing her and other voiceover artists from the industry.

3. What is the significance of this lawsuit in the broader context of AI and rights of creators?

• The lawsuit is believed to be the first of its kind against an AI firm over the use of likenesses to train an AI system, marking a growing rift between creators and companies alleged to indiscriminately use their data to power their technology.
• The lawsuit highlights the need for stronger legal protections for creators, as the rise of AI services that can replicate actors' likenesses poses a threat to their rights and livelihoods.
• SAG-AFTRA is advocating for a federal right of publicity law to address the lack of federal laws covering the use of AI to mimic someone's voice, as the current patchwork of state laws provides little recourse in many cases.

[02] Voiceover actors' experiences

1. How did Lehrman and Sage discover that their voices were being used by LOVO?

• Lehrman first discovered his voice being used by LOVO on a YouTube video about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and later on a podcast about the Hollywood strikes.
• Sage similarly discovered that LOVO was using her voice as part of its subscription business under the name "Sally Coleman".

2. What were the initial representations made to Lehrman and Sage about the use of their voices?

• When contacted by LOVO employees on the freelance platform Fiverr, Lehrman and Sage were told that their voices would be used for "academic research purposes only" and would "not be used for anything else".
• However, the lawsuit claims that LOVO later used their voices as part of its commercial subscription service without their consent or compensation.

3. How do Lehrman and Sage feel about the unauthorized use of their voices by LOVO?

• Lehrman is concerned about the "degradation of [his] reputation" as his voice is used to say things he wouldn't say and be associated with brands he wouldn't work with.
• Sage is worried that the continued misappropriation of her voice could lead to 99% of voiceover work being replaced by AI voices, potentially displacing her and other voiceover artists from the industry.