Masako Nozawa, best known for voicing Goku in the Dragon Ball anime series, is slamming AI users for stealing her voice to create projects using the rapidly advancing technology, calling it outright “theft.”
If you’re an anime fan, you’ve likely seen a few fan-made videos that use AI to copy characters’ voices, making them say some absolutely outrageous stuff. This trend isn't limited to English-speaking fanbases; it's also happening quite frequently in Japan, to the point where voice actors have gathered together to create the country’s first-ever guidelines regarding the use of AI voices.
Perhaps the most prominent of these actors is 89-year-old Nozawa. She’s a prolific voice actor who has been working in the space for decades and is best known as the voice of Goku (as well as Son Gohan and oodles of Goku variants) in Dragon Ball.
In an October 15 interview with Japanese outlet NHK, Nozawa was shown an AI video that used her voice — and her response to it was nothing short of scathing.
"That's not my voice,” she told the outlet. “I can't forgive them for using it without permission; it's like theft, and it makes me furious. I believe my voice and my acting are my own. If they're going to use even a little bit of it, they should get my permission.
"The AI-generated voice may resemble me. It may even be identical. But it lacks heart, doesn't it? Without heart, it's no good, no matter what the role.
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