Tokyo court grants legal protection to human voices in AI clone case

A Tokyo court has made a groundbreaking decision to protect the human voice, marking the first time Japan has recognized this right. The case involved Kenjiro Tsuda, a well-known anime voice actor, who sued to have a TikTok account closed for using an AI-generated version of his distinctive voice without permission. The court ruled that using Tsuda’s voice in this way was an infringement of his publicity rights, as it exploited his voice’s commercial appeal. This decision is significant for anime voice actors who are increasingly worried about AI cloning their voices. The ruling comes amid broader concerns about AI voice replication, highlighted by similar issues faced by celebrities like Scarlett Johansson. Although the court did not order the deletion of the videos, as the account was already closed, the case sets a precedent for protecting voice rights in the digital age. QUESTION: How might the protection of voice rights impact the future of AI technology and its use in entertainment?