Would you sign your voice away in perpetuity to AI for a voiceover contract?

Well, it happened this morning. I got a request to do a VO from a major tech company, but in their paperwork (and their brief) made clear they want me to literally sign my voice away. Not only would I be consenting to letting them use my voice for this particular project, they want a blanket consent for AI editing, replication, and reproduction purposes that not only would allow them to alter my voice, but blend it with others, AND let any companies or parties who partner with them to have access to my voice.

Have we really gotten to the place where human contribution and creation is so devalued?

THIS is just one of the reasons for the strikes going on.

As I read the paperwork, I was flabbergasted at how constraining and all encompassing they made the consent agreement - to the point where my husband brought up a very good point. Based on how broad they made their usage clauses, who’s to say they wouldn’t turn around at some point in the future and start using my voice for music? Or try to stop me from releasing new music as it would have my voice on it?

It’s not often I say this but I’ll say it now: I have a lot of feelings about this. I have clearly declined this VO, but for goodness sake, the depth of the consent agreement has really made a lot of things clear to me about my values and just how I’ve developed as an artist, creator, and professional.

I stand with my fellow creators who value human contribution, who value education and unique skill sets, who value the ideas and principles that we are given these gifts as part of a larger journey to make the world a better place.

In case I wasn’t clear on it: it’s a hard pass from me. I said no to this VO.


Let’s connect! Find me on social media at @emikomusic (@Emikomusic official on TikTok) and at Emikomusic.com


#ai
#voiceover
#voiceacting