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Legal disputes over AI voice cloning

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-30 09:44 UTC → 2026-10-02 20:36 UTC · added removed

Legal actions regarding AI-generated voice cloning have emerged in both China and Japan, targeting the unauthorized use of distinct vocal identities. In Shanghai, the Pudong New Area People's Court ruled in favor of game developer miHoYo, ordering an AI service provider to pay 750,000 yuan. The court found the provider had cloned the voices of 63 ‘Genshin Impact’ characters using unauthorized audio. The court rejected defense arguments regarding data training and actor rights, determining that the AI-generated sounds possessed “almost identical characteristics” to the originals and constituted unfair competition. In Japan, voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda filed a lawsuit against TikTok to protect his vocal identity. Tsuda, known for roles in franchises such as ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’, sought the removal of videos from an anonymous account that used an AI-generated voice imitating his distinctively ‘deep’ and ‘lustrous’ baritone to discuss urban legends and conspiracy theories. The account, which had over 210,000 followers, reportedly generated between 500,000 and 750,000 yen per month. In a landmark decision, the Tokyo District Court recognized that a person's voice can be protected under publicity rights, marking the first time a Japanese court has determined the commercial value of a human voice. The court acknowledged Presiding Judge Aya Takahashi stated that a the human voice is a “symbol of the individual's personality” and personality,” comparable to a person's portrait. The court found that unauthorized use could infringe on using such a voice without permission to exploit its commercial appeal constitutes an infringement of publicity rights. However, the court dismissed Tsuda's did not order specific request to delete the videos economic damages because the TikTok account had already been deleted and the content was no longer on prior to the platform's servers. This ruling follows August 2026 guidelines from Japan's Ministry of Justice suggesting voices could be protected against unauthorized generative AI use. verdict.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-02 20:36 UTC Legal disputes over AI voice cloning
  2. 2026-09-30 09:44 UTC Legal disputes over AI voice cloning
  3. 2026-09-28 09:53 UTC Legal disputes over AI voice cloning
  4. 2026-09-27 05:31 UTC Legal disputes over AI voice cloning

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