In a world of rapidly advancing technology, "AI art" has been a hot topic, but the trend of AI voice learning is also gaining momentum. By feeding voices to AI, it can replicate specific vocal styles, creating new challenges for voice professionals.
On December 15, veteran voice actor agency 81 Produce (81プロデュース) officially announced a business partnership with ElevenLabs Japan, a company specializing in AI voice technology. The collaboration aims to formally register the voices of 81 Produce's talent under official licenses. The goal is to multi-localize content while preserving the original voice quality and performance characteristics, thereby safeguarding Japan's unique "voice actor culture" and accelerating content's reach into the international market.
81 Produce is a long-established Japanese voice actor agency, representing numerous popular talents including Yoshino Aoyama, Reina Ueda, Aoi Koga, Rie Takahashi, Soma Saito, and Ryusei Nakao.
In recent years, there has been a growing number of cases, both in Japan and overseas, where voice actors' voices have been collected, used to train AI, and even generated for commercial use without consent. The question of "how voices should be used and how their value can be protected" has become a shared challenge for the entire industry. This partnership is seen as a direct response to this pressing issue.
Under this collaboration, 81 Produce will officially register the voices of its talent using ElevenLabs' technology as needed. ElevenLabs, in turn, will provide its platform and technology to assist in the multi-language conversion of licensed Japanese content, such as anime, narration, and TV programs.
A key feature of this partnership is the ability to support up to 29 languages while preserving the original voice actor's vocal quality, tone, and emotional nuances. This means that audiences will still be able to hear "the essence of the original voice actor" across different language versions.
Furthermore, both parties have introduced a new concept: "Hybrid Voice Actors." These are voice actors who perform in their original Japanese and also have multi-language AI-generated voice versions. This expands the voice actor's stage beyond Japan, directly to a global audience, allowing fans worldwide to enjoy works in their respective languages while retaining the subtle nuances of the original voice actor's performance.
The backdrop for this alliance is the rapid advancement of AI technology, which has led to a proliferation of voice theft and improper use of AI voices. Voice actors' voices are a vital asset that has long supported Japan's content industry. How to protect this asset and pass it on to the next generation is a question the entire industry is grappling with.
The decision by 81 Produce, a 45-year-old veteran agency with over 400 voice actors, to embark on this new endeavor at this time carries undeniable symbolic significance. ElevenLabs, on the other hand, specializes in "voice protection technology," which includes features like Voice CAPTCHA for proving voice authenticity, digital watermarks, and C2PA-compliant verification mechanisms. These technologies ensure that even when voices are multi-localized, their origin remains legitimate, quality is stable, and the original performance details of the voice actor are not compromised.
Moving forward, the two companies plan not only to expand the number of registered voice actors but also to apply this technology to various fields such as anime, movies, and games, and to promote joint projects with global streaming platforms and production companies.
This collaboration is expected to bring multiple benefits, including clear protection of voice actor rights, the creation of new revenue models, and a reduction in production workload. For voice actors, creators, production companies, and even fans, it represents a significant and noteworthy endeavor.
via： 81 Produce