IT Home On October 20, as generative AI causes increasing problems for creators in various industries, Japanese voice actors are seeking their own ways to resist unauthorized use of their voices. Last week, a union representing Japanese voice actors released guidelines regarding AI usage, and many voice actors also shared the challenges this technology poses to them both personally and professionally.
IT Home noticed that over the years, Japanese voice actors have been resisting the act of stealing their voices without permission. In 2024, a group of voice actors formed an organization to protest the misuse of AI voices. They specifically pointed out that there is a lack of copyright protection laws in this field. Kenjiro Tsuda, who voiced characters in “Attack on Titan,” “Sawyer,” and “The King of Fighters,” even sued TikTok for the widespread use of his voice on social media. However, the case was dismissed after the video was removed from platforms. Some voice actors support a mechanism where AI can be used to replicate the voices of performers with authorization. But the mainstream view of the Japanese voice actor community regarding this technology is: it will steal their work and take away future job opportunities.
During the Thursday press conference, the Japanese Actors Association (JAU) released the first version of guidelines for the use of generative AI. The guidelines state that these new rules apply to all audio produced using AI technology to replicate actors' voices, including those used without permission for speech synthesis, deep learning, and machine learning applications.
According to Automaton, the guidelines require that any entity attempting to replicate an actor’s voice must obtain consent from the individual at every step of the process. If AI companies intend to use an actor’s voice for AI training, they must get permission from the performer. Additionally, using AI-generated voices with authorization is considered a form of “performance”, and companies are required to pay the performer or royalties.
Several voice actors attended the press conference and spoke against the use of this technology in unauthorized scenarios. Masako Nozawa, who is well-known for voicing Son Goku in the Dragon Ball series, said in an interview with NHK: “Using my voice without my permission is unforgivable. I am very angry about this, and it is no different from theft. My voice and my performance belong to me. Even a little use should be obtained with my prior consent.” “The voice actor also mentioned that the voice of the AI replica she has heard ‘has no emotion.’”
The union has approximately 2,600 voice actors and actor members. This guideline is also one of the first industry standards issued in Japan for AI voice recording. In Japan, public acceptance of AI is generally higher than in the United States, and the release of this guideline sends a strong signal against it. The power of Japanese unions is greater than that of American unions, so this standard is likely to impose restrictions on unauthorized use of AI to replicate actor voices. In response to online attacks and copyright violations, the Japanese government is currently being asked how to regulate generative AI. During the phase of exploring AI governance solutions across the country, this announcement by the Japanese Actors Association has attracted much attention.