French Voice Actors Secure Removal of AI-Generated Voice Clones from Platforms

A group of 25 French voice actors has successfully compelled the removal of 47 generative AI models that replicated their voices without permission or compensation from the American platform Fish Audio. Their lawyer, Jonathan Elkaim, announced this development on April 3, following earlier legal actions. In February, eight performers initially sent formal notices to Fish Audio and another U.S.-based service, VoiceDub, accusing them of parasitic practices for unauthorized voice cloning. The number of claimants later expanded to 25. Elkaim expressed satisfaction with the takedown but noted ongoing concerns, as some demands, including €20,000 in damages, remain unmet, and there is a risk of new infringing content appearing. He emphasized that this outcome sends a clear message about the applicability of European and French law to foreign companies. The legal dispute is not concluded, with efforts underway to potentially ban these platforms in France through a precedent-setting court decision. This case reflects broader anxieties in France's creative sector about generative AI, highlighted by protests in May 2025 and a statement from 4,000 actors and filmmakers in late February denouncing widespread unauthorized voice cloning as systematic plunder. Concurrently, a Senate committee approved a legislative proposal on April 3 to shift the burden of proof in copyright disputes, requiring AI platforms to demonstrate they did not unlawfully use protected content, with a full Senate review scheduled for April 8.