Morgan Freeman has thanked fans for calling his attention to the "unauthorized" use of artificial intelligence (AI) to imitate his voice.
The actor, whose distinctive voice has left an arguably indelible mark on films such as The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby, took to X/Twitter to extend his gratitude to those who alerted him to AI-generated imitations of his voice online after a series of videos created by someone posing to be his niece went viral.
"Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an AI voice imitating me," Freeman wrote in his appreciation post on June 28. "Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection"
Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice imitating me. Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection
— Morgan Freeman (@morgan_freeman) June 28, 2024
While Freeman didn't share the specifics of the incident, his post comes after a TikTok user went viral with videos featuring narration from an AI-generated version of the actor's voice. The content creator had even created a playlist dedicated to her "Uncle mo" voiceover videos, including one titled "a day in the life of a nepo niece."
The person behind the posts has since responded to reports of their Freeman foolery, saying they were having "a bit of fun" and it was a "very obvious" joke.
Freeman is only the latest Hollywood star to fall victim to unauthorized AI imitation. Tom Hanks previously warned his fans that an AI version of his likeness was being used in an online advert for a dental plan, while Robin Williams' daughter Zelda condemned the "disturbing" use of AI to recreate her late father's voice and others.
As Hollywood itself grapples with the rise of AI, more and more people have come forward to voice their opinions on the technology. Tim Burton slammed AI-generated art, a WandaVision background actor raised concerns over "digital replicas," and James Cameron warned of the potential dangers it could present in the future.
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter here.
