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

A Tokyo court has recognized legal protection for a person’s voice in a landmark case involving Japanese anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda. Tsuda sued over the unauthorized use of an AI-generated voice that sounded like his on TikTok. The account used the voice in more than 180 videos about urban legends and paranormal stories and had more than 200,000 subscribers.

The court ruled that a human voice can be closely connected to a person’s identity and personality, similar to their photograph. The judge said that using Tsuda’s voice without permission for commercial purposes could be considered an infringement of his publicity rights. However, the court did not order the videos to be deleted because the TikTok account had already been closed.

The decision comes as voice actors in Japan are becoming increasingly concerned about AI technology copying their distinctive voices. AI-generated voices can be used in videos and other online content without the original actor’s permission. The case may become important for future discussions about how people’s voices and identities should be protected as AI technology becomes more common.

Edited using generative AI tools. 
Source:https://apnews.com/article/japan-anime-voice-actor-ai-a2a9596a197f149398771a9166043ef9

Comprehension

Who is Kenjiro Tsuda?
What was Tsuda’s lawsuit about?
How many videos used the AI-generated voice on the TikTok account?
Why did the court consider the use of Tsuda’s voice an infringement of publicity rights?
Why did the court not order the videos to be deleted?

Discussion

Do you think a person's voice should have legal protection? Why or why not?
How would you feel if someone created an AI version of your voice without your permission?
Should people have to ask permission before using AI to copy another person's voice?
What are some useful ways AI-generated voices can be used?
What problems could happen if anyone can easily copy another person's voice?
Should celebrities have stronger protection against AI voice cloning?
Do you think AI-generated voices could replace professional voice actors in the future?
How can social media companies prevent the unauthorized use of AI-generated voices?
Would you use an AI version of your own voice for online videos? Why or why not?
What other parts of a person's identity should be protected from unauthorized AI use?

Vocabulary

landmark case — an important legal case that may influence future decisions
unauthorized — done without official permission
baritone — a type of deep male singing or speaking voice
plaintiff — a person who brings a legal case against someone
defendant — a person or organization being accused or sued in court
infringement — an act of breaking or violating someone's legal rights
publicity rights — legal rights that protect a person's name, image, voice, or identity from unauthorized commercial use
paranormal — relating to events or abilities that cannot be explained by normal science
eerily — strangely or frighteningly that makes something feel unusual