AI, Voice Cloning, and the Legal Grey Zone: Why Your Voice Isn’t Copyrighted (Yet)

Imagine this: an AI model clones your voice, recreates your tone and cadence, and drops a song you never authorized… and there’s very little you can do about it.

That’s because under current U.S. copyright law, your voice itself isn’t protected.

Copyright protects expressive works like songs, scripts, and sound recordings. It doesn’t cover the sound of your voice. That’s where state “right of publicity” laws come in. States like California and Tennessee have enacted or are considering laws that recognize voice, image, and likeness as part of a person’s legally protectable identity.

Tennessee’s new ELVIS Act (2024) is a direct response to this concern, prohibiting unauthorized AI-based voice cloning. But without a national framework, artists and public figures must rely on a patchwork of laws and proactive contract language.

What to Do: -

• Include voice cloning protections in your contracts and licenses.

• Register copyrights in your sound recordings and performances.

• Monitor your name/image/likeness for unauthorized use online.

• Work with counsel to assert publicity rights in states that recognize them.

If you’re a recording artist, voice actor, or content creator, your voice is your brand. Don’t let AI companies use it without your permission. Contact us today to protect your voice and brand!