The Impact of AI on Human Voice Actors

By Lisa Leonard, Owner, Lisa Leonard Voiceworks, LLC 

I know AI voice technology presents opportunities for efficiency and cost-savings.  But have you considered the impact its having on the lives of the human voiceover artists?  Our voices are being stolen and used on productions we never consented to and never got paid for. In addition, we humans are getting fewer auditions and lower rates (because, we are told, “AI can do it cheaper or for free.”)

There’s an art to human voice acting—infusing a script with personality, emotion, and nuanced expression—which cannot be fully replicated by AI.   I so appreciate the industry professionals who understand that, and are choosing to “hire human.”  One group, in particular, is advocating for fair pay, copyright protections, and transparency in AI voice development.  They are the National Association of Voice Actors, NAVA, working for fair compensation, consent, and control. For their efforts, I’m truly grateful.  When we get some actual legal protections on the books, I’ll be doing a happy dance! 

Don’t get me wrong…I’m not anti-AI at all!  I’m actually excited about the ways it’s being used to help people, especially in the healthcare space.  Someday, I hope to offer a synthetic version of my voice to specific clients for specific purposes.  “AI-Lisa” could be a voice assistant responding to patient inquiries. “AI-Lisa” would be able to provide pickups when I’m not available to record script updates.  And I hope at some point that “AI-Lisa” could be the brand voice of a hotel’s interactive reservation system.   There are many opportunities we voice actors are open to, but we must have protections.  We are vulnerable as Bev Standing’s landmark lawsuit against TikTok showed.  (The voice actor recorded lines for a translation app and, years later, without her knowledge, that audio became TikTok’s default voice.)

At this moment, any of our voice files can be replicated and used for other projects without us knowing.  That’s frightening and very unfair.  

I’m writing this blog with hopes that you’ll think twice about grabbing an AI VO for your project.  I’d also love for you to talk with some human voice actors.  Let us know your budget and deadline and we might be able to accommodate.  Remember, most of us have home studios so we can offer very quick turnaround.  

For now, we’re in a tough spot. The robots are coming for our jobs, and without proper protections, our voice acting profession is at risk. While AI-generated voices can be a convenient, cost-effective solution, they come with ethical concerns that shouldn’t be ignored. 

Before putting synthetic voices on all your productions, I encourage you to educate yourself on ethical AI practices—ones that prioritize actor consent and fair compensation.  Thoughtful, informed choices today will help create a future in which AI is enhancing creative industries rather than exploiting them.

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