Dale Nelson Appears in an On-Air ‘Sunrise’ Segment Examining Celebrity AI Voice-Cloning Deals

Dale Nelson recently appeared on Channel 7 News’ morning show, Sunrise, to examine the legalities of Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey’s deal with artificial intelligence company ElevenLabs, which will enable the digital replication of their voices for commercial use. 

Throughout the segment, Dale delves into the complex nuances of this decision against the broader framework of U.S. rights of publicity laws. Dale explains to Sunrise that there are limitations to the use of a public figure’s name, likeness, and voice. “The classic example would be product endorsement. You wouldn’t be able to use Michael Caine’s voice to endorse a product,” she shares. 

However, these limitations vary for expressive works such as The Crown. Dale tells viewers that the production did not “need the royal family’s permission to cast actors and reenact real people in real life,” continuing to state that “in many cases, [the actors] are going to try to imitate the real person’s voice,” which is permissible under U.S. law.

She goes on to note that Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey’s deal with ElevenLabs is noteworthy as it likely includes the exclusive “license [to] the use of their voice[s] for commercial purposes,” meaning that the company will essentially becomes the “place where people can go if they want to license the voice rights or use the voices through that system.”

Listen to the full segment on Apple Podcasts.