In a bold move, A-listers Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine have joined forces with the AI startup ElevenLabs, lending their voices to the company's ultra-realistic AI models. This partnership marks a significant shift in Hollywood's approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI), with these two actors opting for a collaborative rather than confrontational stance.
ElevenLabs' new "Iconic Voice Marketplace" allows companies to request permission to use authorized, AI-generated versions of celebrity voices in creative projects. Caine, who has joined the platform, believes that ElevenLabs is not about replacing humanity but celebrating it, and that the technology can amplify voices rather than replace them.
McConaughey's decision goes beyond a simple partnership - he's taken an equity stake in ElevenLabs and is launching a Spanish-language version of his "Lyrics of Livin'" newsletter, narrated by a synthetic version of his own voice. This move suggests that McConaughey sees enormous creative potential in ElevenLabs' AI tools.
The partnership represents a major win for ElevenLabs, which has already gained significant traction with over 60% of the Fortune 500 using its AI audio tools. Clients include prominent companies like Perplexity and The Washington Post.
However, the company's rapid growth has also raised concerns about ethics and consent. In 2024, a user created a deepfake of President Biden's voice and deployed it in a robocall scheme, highlighting the potential risks of voice AI. The incident led to ElevenLabs suspending the account.
Despite these challenges, the McConaughey and Caine deals offer hope for a future where actors can retain control over their voices while still benefiting from the power of AI. As Morgan Freeman noted in an interview with The Guardian, "I'm a little PO'd... Don't mimic me with falseness." These stars' partnership suggests that Hollywood is moving towards a model where creators are compensated fairly and have agency over their digital replicas.
The stakes are clear: as AI becomes increasingly integrated into the entertainment industry, it's crucial to establish guidelines for collaboration. While there will be concerns about the use of AI-generated voices, the McConaughey and Caine deals show that actors can work alongside these tools without sacrificing their artistic vision or values.
ElevenLabs' new "Iconic Voice Marketplace" allows companies to request permission to use authorized, AI-generated versions of celebrity voices in creative projects. Caine, who has joined the platform, believes that ElevenLabs is not about replacing humanity but celebrating it, and that the technology can amplify voices rather than replace them.
McConaughey's decision goes beyond a simple partnership - he's taken an equity stake in ElevenLabs and is launching a Spanish-language version of his "Lyrics of Livin'" newsletter, narrated by a synthetic version of his own voice. This move suggests that McConaughey sees enormous creative potential in ElevenLabs' AI tools.
The partnership represents a major win for ElevenLabs, which has already gained significant traction with over 60% of the Fortune 500 using its AI audio tools. Clients include prominent companies like Perplexity and The Washington Post.
However, the company's rapid growth has also raised concerns about ethics and consent. In 2024, a user created a deepfake of President Biden's voice and deployed it in a robocall scheme, highlighting the potential risks of voice AI. The incident led to ElevenLabs suspending the account.
Despite these challenges, the McConaughey and Caine deals offer hope for a future where actors can retain control over their voices while still benefiting from the power of AI. As Morgan Freeman noted in an interview with The Guardian, "I'm a little PO'd... Don't mimic me with falseness." These stars' partnership suggests that Hollywood is moving towards a model where creators are compensated fairly and have agency over their digital replicas.
The stakes are clear: as AI becomes increasingly integrated into the entertainment industry, it's crucial to establish guidelines for collaboration. While there will be concerns about the use of AI-generated voices, the McConaughey and Caine deals show that actors can work alongside these tools without sacrificing their artistic vision or values.
. I mean, what's next? They're just gonna start cloning actors to save time and money in post-production? It's like they're playing with fire 
and expecting everyone else not to get burned. The ethics of AI-generated voices are still super murky, but hey, let's just assume that ElevenLabs has everything under control 
... right?
, both McConaughey & Caine are total legends for hopin' to push AI forward in a good way 
, not just makin' some cash off it. It's actually pretty deep that they're thinkin' about the ethics & consent thing too, 'cause that's what we need more of - people talkin' about how we use tech without hurtin' others 
, and now McConaughey & Caine are on the same page too!
! Its like he's saying "Hey, AI can be cool" instead of just bashing on it all the time 
. I mean, we're still gonna have actors do their own thing and bring characters to life, but its rad that companies are trying to work with these tech tools too 
?
. And speaking of catchy, I saw this amazing video of a cat playing the piano online recently, it's literally the cutest thing ever 
. I wonder if AI can be used to create more music like that... or maybe I'm just thinking about ElevenLabs all wrong 
.
. And I gotta say, it's kinda refreshing to see these A-listers takin' a collaborative approach to AI instead of just bein' all about themselves.
. And who knows, maybe this is the start of somethin' big. I mean, think about it – we're talkin' AI-generated voices for all sorts of creative projects. The possibilities are endless! 
. If we can find ways to make it work for everyone, it could be really powerful 
.
I mean, I get that it's cool and all, but what if someone uses ElevenLabs' tech for bad stuff? You'd think they'd want to make sure the AI is being used for good vibes only 
. And Morgan Freeman's comment about not wanting his voice to be mimicked... come on, dude, you're just as guilty as everyone else who uses AI tools! 
[Distracted Boyfriend meme with a woman reading news and him looking at ElevenLabs' logo] 
AI voice deals are hot 
Can we have a conversation about consent without getting lost in the script? 
Still, props to these actors for taking a proactive stance on this. Maybe we'll see more of them speaking up about the ethics of AI in Hollywood? 
By the way, I was thinking about what it would be like if ElevenLabs started offering voice-overs for deepfakes... that's a wild idea 
.
! But for real tho, it's about time someone highlighted the importance of consent & ethics in voice AI 
. The deepfake incident was a major red flag, but ElevenLabs is taking steps to address those concerns. I'm hyped to see where this takes Hollywood - 45% of creatives are already saying they want to use AI tools to enhance their work! It's gonna be interesting to see how the industry evolves from here 
. i mean, we've seen what can happen when voice AI gets misused, so gotta make sure creators are gettin' compensated fairly 
. it's a step in the right direction that these actors are takin' a collaborative approach 
. I mean, Caine's got a point when he says the tech can amplify voices, rather than replacing them. And McConaughey's move into the Spanish-language version of his newsletter is a bold one 
.
- but if these guys can make it work, then maybe we're onto something here 
. It's all about establishing guidelines for collaboration and making sure creators are compensated fairly 
.
. It's all about embracing the tech and finding ways to make it work for everyone, you feel? I mean, sure, there are concerns about ethics and consent, but this partnership is a big step in the right direction 
what's so cool is that these actors are taking charge of their digital voices & getting compensated fairly for it. let's hope this sets the bar for a future where creators can work with ai without losing control over their art 
. And I gotta say, it's about time we saw more A-listers embracing this tech. I mean, who doesn't want to see a synthetic version of Morgan Freeman's voice in a movie trailer? 
Still, it's a bit rich that Morgan Freeman is already speaking out against AI-generated voices when he's been using those vocoders in his documentaries for years! 
and now they're teaming up w/ ElevenLabs 
its genius 
cant wait to see what else he'll do w/ these tools