Voice Actor Wendel Bezerra Files Police Complaint Over Unauthorized AI Voice Cloning
Brazilian voice actor Wendel Bezerra filed a police complaint on 29 October 2024 alleging that someone used artificial intelligence to clone his voice and sell it to small businesses for commercial advertisements without his authorization or compensation. Bezerra stated that the same fraudster was cloning the voices of other voice actors, and indicated he and other affected actors would pursue legal action.
What happened
On 29 October 2024, Wendel Bezerra, a Brazilian voice actor known for dubbing SpongeBob SquarePants and Goku, filed a police complaint in São Paulo alleging that someone was using artificial intelligence to replicate his voice without authorization.
According to Bezerra, the fraudster was selling AI-generated voice recordings to small businesses for commercial advertisements, and was doing the same to other voice actors, generating revenue from the unauthorized use of their voices.
Reported impact
Bezerra stated that the unauthorized use of his voice for commercial purposes constituted fraud and embezzlement under Brazilian law, as he had not authorized such use and was receiving no compensation.
Bezerra and other affected voice actors indicated they intended to pursue legal action against those responsible, seeking compensation for the wrongful use of their work and to deter similar practices.
Index analysis
The incident illustrates the vulnerability of voice actors and other individuals to AI voice cloning technology that can replicate their voices for commercial gain without consent or compensation.
Bezerra highlighted the distinction between legitimate licensed use of voice work, such as on streaming platforms where voice actors are paid, and the unauthorized commercialization of AI-replicated voices.
Governance controls
Bezerra emphasized the need for legislation to address unauthorized voice cloning and commercial use of replicated voices, noting that the issue affects not only voice actors but potentially any person whose voice or likeness could be misused for commercial purposes.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.