Radio Host Sued Google for Voice Theft
Radio host David Greene has filed a lawsuit against Google for allegedly stealing his voice to use in its AI tools without permission.
David Greene, a radio host for NPR, has taken legal action against Google after discovering that his voice had been allegedly utilized without his consent in the company's AI product, Notebook LM. Greene became aware of this when he received a mysterious email questioning whether he had licensed his voice to Google. Upon investigating, he found that his voice was represented in the AI's functionality, which converts text to podcast audio, and he vehemently asserts that neither has he given permission for this use nor has he received any compensation for it.
Feeling that this was a significant infringement on his personal rights and intellectual property, Greene decided to pursue a lawsuit against Google for breach of licensing laws. He expressed that his voice is an essential part of his identity as a radio personality, and the unauthorized use by the tech giant challenges not only his rights but also raises broader concerns about the ownership of one's voice in the age of artificial intelligence. Greene's situation highlights a growing unease among content creators regarding how their personal information and attributes can be appropriated by powerful tech companies.
In response to the lawsuit, Google has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that they have not utilized Greene's voice without permission. This case could potentially set a precedent for similar claims by other content creators and reinvigorate discussions about digital rights and the ethical use of AI technologies involving personal data, particularly in media and broadcasting sectors.