In the TV drama The Queen of News 2, a news anchor’s likeness and voice are cloned by AI to continue presenting after she leaves her job, sparking outrage over fictional exploitation. But this scenario is no longer just fiction. As artificial intelligence advances, real-world voice professionals are increasingly confronting the same threat, prompting Hong Kong’s voice acting community to take action.
The Hong Kong Voice Acting Union, joined by 87 voice actors, has issued a joint statement titled “Prohibition of Unauthorised Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence.” It warns that no organisation or individual may use their voices — without explicit consent — for AI training, voice cloning, or synthetic speech. The union described such practices as a “serious violation of voice rights, professional dignity, and creative autonomy,” and said it reserves the right to pursue legal action against any infringement.
Similar disputes overseas have already led to legal battles. In one prominent case, American voice actor Paul Skye recorded audio in 2020 for what he was told was academic research, earning US$1,200. Two years later, he discovered his voice had been replicated using AI and used in podcasts and YouTube videos he had never recorded. He subsequently filed a lawsuit in New York against tech firm LOVO, seeking damages and an order to stop the unauthorised use of his voice.
The issue has also sparked industrial action. Last year, the Screen Actors Guild in the United States went on strike to secure protections against AI voice replication. After months of negotiations, agreements were reached requiring companies to obtain consent and provide union-protected compensation before using performers’ voices. A union negotiator warned, “Everyone needs protection from the misuse of artificial intelligence.”
In Washington, lawmakers from both parties have introduced the proposed “No Fakes Act”, aimed at banning the unauthorised AI replication of voices and likenesses.
As AI rapidly transforms creative industries and labour markets worldwide, Hong Kong’s voice actors fear they may be left exposed. So far, however, there has been little sign that the Hong Kong government intends to update its laws to keep pace with the technology or to protect the workers whose voices are at risk.