UK Scrambles to Stop AI from Stealing Voices and Faces Without Consent

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is making it possible to copy a person's voice or face using just a short recording. In the UK, experts are warning that the law is not keeping up with this new technology. This means that someone could make a digital copy of your voice or face without your permission, and there might not be much you can do to stop it. This is raising concerns about privacy, scams, and people losing control over their own identity.

Dr Mathilde Pavis, a media lawyer, says that the laws in the UK were written before AI could do these things. She believes the law is now 'unfit for purpose' because it does not fully protect your voice, face, or identity. Other countries in Europe, like France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark, have better laws that protect what are called 'personality rights. ' These laws make it harder for companies or individuals to use someone else's voice or face without permission.

One example of this problem is Faye Dicker, a voice-over artist from Bristol. She discovered that her voice had been copied and used by a US-based AI company called Fish Audio. Her voice was downloaded more than 900 times, and she had no idea who was using it or what they were making her say. Fish Audio said they take the issue seriously and removed her voice from their website, but the damage was already done.

Dr Pavis explains that the UK uses a mix of laws, like copyright, data protection, and trademarks, to try to protect people. However, these laws were not designed for AI cloning. They protect things like films and recordings, but not your actual voice, face, or body. In contrast, some European countries have laws that specifically protect a person's name, image, voice, and privacy.

The trade union Equity, which represents voice artists, says that AI cloning is now a major issue. Shannon Sailing, who works for Equity, says she has submitted claims for more than 20 members whose voices were used without their permission. She says dealing with AI cloning is now one of the main parts of her job.

Fish Audio says their rules do not allow people to upload or use voices without the right permissions. They say they are working on technical solutions to better protect people's rights.

Baroness Beeban Kidron, a member of the House of Lords and a campaigner for digital regulation, says the government is not doing enough to protect creative rights. She believes the government should make stronger laws to protect people's voices and faces, just like other forms of intellectual property. She also points out that artists in the US are often paid more for their likeness than those in the UK.

The government says it understands that digital replicas can be useful, but they can also be harmful if someone's likeness is copied without permission. The government plans to ask for people's opinions on how to address these problems while still allowing for innovation.

Dr Pavis says that in France, the law has protected people's images and voices since 1858, long before AI or the internet existed. In the UK, lawyers are trying to use data protection laws to help people, but these laws were not made for AI cloning. She says that when someone makes a digital copy of your voice, they are using your personal data, which can harm your reputation and your business.

Faye Dicker says she wants more protection for voice actors. She says it is very upsetting because the industry is already struggling, and losing control of her voice makes things even harder.

This story shows that as technology advances, the law needs to change to keep up. People are calling on the government to create new rules to protect everyone from having their voices and faces used by AI without their permission.