Masako Nozawa says AI stealing her Goku voice makes her really angry

Masako Nozawa told Japanese broadcaster NHK that she cannot forgive people using her voice without permission. The Dragon Ball voice actor said it makes her really angry and is no different than theft. She added that her voice and performances belong to her and anyone wanting to use them should ask for permission.

The Japan Actors Union presented the first version of its new AI guidelines at a Thursday press conference. The guidelines require anyone seeking to replicate an actor's voice to obtain consent at every step of the process. Companies must get permission from performers to use their voices in AI training.

The union categorizes authorized use of AI-generated voice as a type of performance. Companies will be required to pay salaries or royalties to actors whose voices are used. The guidelines cover any audio recordings made with AI technology replicating actors' voices, including unauthorized use for voice synthesis, deep learning and machine learning.

The union represents roughly 2600 voice actors and actors. Voice actors in Japan have been fighting unauthorized AI voice use for years, with some filing lawsuits over social media videos using their voices without permission. Nozawa also claimed that an AI version of her voice she heard lacked heart.