A federal judge in New York has ruled that a lawsuit filed by voice-over artists Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage can continue, accusing AI startup Lovo of unlawfully cloning their voices. While the court dismissed claims related to federal copyright infringement, it will hear allegations of breach of contract and deceptive business practices, as well as claims concerning the improper use of the artists' voices in Lovo's AI training data.
Lovo Inc., based in California, sought to have the entire case dismissed but has not responded to inquiries regarding the decision. The ruling is part of a growing number of lawsuits from artists against AI companies for allegedly using their work without consent. Steve Cohen, attorney for the artists, termed the ruling a “spectacular” triumph, expressing optimism that a jury will hold large tech firms responsible for their actions.
In 2024, the New York City-based couple filed a class-action lawsuit after discovering that clones of their voices were sold via Lovo's text-to-speech platform, Genny. They had previously been approached by Lovo’s employees through Fiverr for voice-over jobs, with promises that the recordings were for "academic research purposes only" and would not be disclosed externally.
The couple were stunned when, while driving, they heard a podcast where an AI chatbot mimicked Lehrman's voice. "We needed to pull the car over," Lehrman shared in an interview, highlighting the irony of AI threatening the entertainment industry while his own voice was used to discuss it.
Upon returning home, they discovered voice clones available on Lovo's platform, including Sage's clone in a fundraising video and Lehrman’s clone in a YouTube advertisement. These voices were eventually taken down by Lovo, claiming they were not popular.
The case now moves forward in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, marking a significant moment in the ongoing discussion about AI and intellectual property rights.
