TLDR: Mexican voice actors are demanding urgent legal regulation on AI voice cloning technology, citing concerns over unauthorized use, job displacement, and the need to protect voices as biometric data. The protest follows instances of AI mimicking deceased actors’ voices without consent and the increasing adoption of AI dubbing by major tech platforms.
Mexican voice actors have taken a firm stand against the burgeoning threat of artificial intelligence, staging a protest in Mexico City to demand robust regulations against unauthorized voice cloning. On Sunday, dozens of audiovisual professionals gathered at the Monument to the Revolution, holding signs that read, ‘I don’t want to be replaced by AI,’ underscoring their fears about job security and the ethical implications of AI technology.
The core demand from the actors is for voices to be legally recognized and protected as biometric data. Lili Barba, president of the Mexican Association of Commercial Announcements and known for voicing Disney’s Daisy Duck, emphasized this point to AFP, stating, ‘We are requesting that the voice be considered a biometric so that it is protected.’ Barba highlighted a recent incident involving a TikTok video from the National Electoral Institute (INE), which reportedly used the cloned voice of the late actor Jose Lavat—famous for dubbing stars like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino—to thank citizens for voting. According to local media, Lavat’s voice was utilized without his family’s consent, prompting Barba to declare, ‘It’s a major violation, and we can’t allow it.’
The concerns in Mexico mirror broader industry anxieties seen globally. The rise of AI was a significant point of contention during Hollywood’s 2023 actors and writers’ strikes, where creatives expressed fears of studios using AI to replace human talent. A notable case involved actress Scarlett Johansson, who accused tech firm OpenAI of imitating her voice for one of their chatbots, leading the company to modify the tone.
Actress Harumi Nishizawa, 35, articulated the artistic value of human dubbing, describing it as ‘like embroidery.’ She explained, ‘As an artist, you can create certain tones, pay attention to nuances… observe the real actors’ expressions and try to emulate what’s happening on screen.’ Nishizawa warned that without proper legislation, human voice dubbing ‘will disappear,’ potentially leading to millions of artists losing their livelihoods.
Despite the protests, major tech companies are already advancing with AI-assisted dubbing systems. In March, Amazon’s streaming platform Prime Video announced tests of such technology, a trend also promoted by YouTube. Furthermore, South Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM, known for the Oscar-winning film ‘Parasite,’ showcased an AI tool last month that integrates visuals, audio, and voice to automatically generate consistent 3D characters.
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However, industry veterans argue that AI still lacks the nuanced capabilities of human performance. Mario Heras, a dubbing director for video games in Mexico, believes that AI cannot make dialogue ‘sound funny, broken, off — or alive.’ He concluded that the human factor ‘protects us in this rebellion against the machines,’ emphasizing the irreplaceable artistic depth and emotional range that human voice actors bring to their craft.
