AI audio company ElevenLabs has unveiled the Iconic Voice Marketplace, a new online platform that allows brands to legally license and use AI-replicated voices of famous figures in advertisements and other content.
The marketplace aims to address ethical concerns surrounding synthetic voice generation by introducing a “consent-based, performer-first approach.” It connects brands directly with the rights holders of well-known voices, with ElevenLabs acting as the intermediary that formalizes the licensing agreements and generates the AI models.
According to the company, only a curated roster of verified talent and IP owners are featured on the marketplace to ensure that all voice reproductions are made with explicit permission, transparency, and fair compensation. Some of the listed voices were created through cloning technology, while others were synthetically reconstructed from archival recordings.
The inaugural lineup includes 28 voices spanning both historical and contemporary figures, such as Michael Caine, Judy Garland, Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Alan Turing, Thomas Edison, and J. Robert Oppenheimer. Caine, one of the living celebrities participating in the project, said in a statement that ElevenLabs “gives everyone the tools to be heard.”
“It’s not about replacing voices; it’s about amplifying them, opening doors for new storytellers everywhere,” Caine added. “I’ve spent a lifetime telling stories. ElevenLabs will help the next generation tell theirs.”
ElevenLabs said the marketplace is designed to create new opportunities for voice talent and estates while giving companies a legally sound path to use recognizable voices in advertising, narration, and entertainment. By structuring the marketplace around verified licensing, the company hopes to set a precedent for how AI-generated likenesses and voices are managed ethically within the creative industry.
Featured image credits: Freepik
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