Sir David Attenborough said he is ‘profoundly disturbed’ that American artificial intelligence websites are cloning his voice for partisan news reports.
Known for narrating and producing some of the finest nature documentaries the world has seen, Sir David’s voice is as gripping as the remote regions he brings to the nation’s living rooms.
But now online American outlets are using Sir David’s voice to deliver partisan news bulletins about topics including Donald Trump’s election and the war in Ukraine.
One of the websites, called the ‘The Intellectualist’, began publishing videos of up to five minutes long on YouTube using Sir David’s voice about three weeks ago.
Responding to the unsolicited use of his voice, Sir David said it amounted to his ‘identity being stolen’.
He told the BBC: ‘Having spent a lifetime time trying to speak what I believe to be the truth; I am profoundly disturbed to find that these days my identity is being stolen by others and greatly object to them using it to say what they wish.’
There is no means to stop AI companies cloning voices for their use, although some celebrities including Scarlett Johansson have tried.
Sir David Attenborough said he is ‘profoundly disturbed’ that American artificial intelligence websites are cloning his voice for partisan news reports
One of the websites, called the ‘The Intellectualist’, began publishing videos of up to five minutes long on YouTube using Sir David’s voice about three weeks ago
Responding to the unsolicited use of his voice, Sir David said it amounted to his ‘identity being stolen’
The Hollywood actress refused to give permission to one of the largest AI companies ChatGPT to use her voice in 2023.
However, she was ‘shocked’ when an artificial online personality called ‘Sky’ appeared on ChatGPT with a voice she claims is ‘eerily similar’ to hers, but developers say has no resemblance.
Dr Jennifer Williams, a lecturer and assistant professor in electronics and computer science at Southampton University, explained the technology in protecting people’s identities had not caught up with AI.
She added she had serious concerns about the implications for people’s financial security, with scammers often trying to mimic bank staff in calls to customers.
Dr Williams told the Daily Mail: ‘Sir David is renowned worldwide. You can talk about the technical side but think about how this could embarrass him personally and his family.
‘This is a man who has developed his whole legacy through his work and that could be in jeopardy because of something like this, it is really quite disturbing.’
The Intellectualist was approached for comment.