Morgan Freeman says AI cloning his voice is ‘robbery’, reveals his lawyers are busy with cases

Hollywood veteran Morgan Freeman isn’t happy with artificial intelligence trying to recreate his famous voice.

The actor, known for his distinct tone in The Shawshank Redemption and March of the Penguins, said using AI to mimic him without permission is no different from stealing.

In a recent chat with The Guardian, Freeman said,

“I’m like any other actor — don’t mimic me with falseness. I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.”

He added that his lawyers have been “very, very busy” handling several cases where his voice was cloned without approval.

Freeman also criticised the rise of AI-generated actors, describing it as a threat to real creatives in the film industry.

“Nobody likes her because she’s not real, and that takes the part of a real person,” he said while referring to a virtual AI actress currently being promoted in Hollywood.

The Oscar-winning actor thanked his fans for helping him flag unauthorised AI imitations of his voice last year, saying their vigilance helps protect authenticity and integrity.

Freeman joins several Hollywood stars, including Scarlett Johansson and Emma Thompson, in calling out AI’s growing influence in acting and filmmaking.