Consumer Reports found that many leading artificial intelligence voice cloning programs have ineffective barriers to prevent nonconsensual impersonation of others. This technology has advanced significantly in recent years, allowing for accurate mimicry of a person’s voice with just a short audio sample. However, this has led to concerns about misuse, such as the creation of fake robocalls during the Democratic primaries last year.
A survey of six AI voice cloning tools revealed that five had easily bypassable safeguards, making it simple to clone someone’s voice without their consent. The lack of regulation in the industry means that most ethical and safety checks are self-imposed. While President Biden included safety demands in his executive order on AI in 2023, these were later revoked by President Trump.
Voice cloning technology works by extrapolating a person’s voice from an audio sample, and some services only require a simple authorization for cloning. Only one service, Descript, had a somewhat effective safeguard in place. However, there are legitimate uses for AI voice cloning, such as assisting people with disabilities or creating audio translations.
Although some companies claim to have implemented safeguards to prevent misuse of their technology, the potential for harm, including fraud and disinformation, remains significant. Cloned voices have been used in scams and unauthorized music releases, highlighting the need for increased regulation and ethical considerations in the AI voice cloning industry.
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