Kenjiro Tsuda fights TikTok over AI voice clone

Japanese anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda has taken TikTok to court over videos he says used an artificial intelligence copy of his voice, with a verdict due on Wednesday.

Tsuda, known for roles in franchises including "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!", wants TikTok to remove videos narrated by a voice he says can only be his. The videos combined images with speech about urban legends, occult subjects and conspiracy theories.

TikTok argues the voice is a generic male voice and that any perceived similarity to Tsuda is subjective, according to court records accessed by AFP. The account that posted the videos is no longer viewable on the platform.

Tsuda's lawyers argue that the videos infringed his publicity rights, meaning his ability to control and profit from aspects of his identity. They said the account gained attention because its content was narrated by what sounded like the voice of a popular actor.

Japanese voice actors have also launched a campaign called "No More" against generative AI being used to mimic performers without permission. Yuko Sasaki of the Japan Actors Union said an actor's voice is built through years of training and should be protected as a fundamental right.

Japan's justice ministry issued non-binding guidance last month saying a voice can be protected under existing rights linked to personality, portrait and likeness. It is unclear how the guidance will affect the court's decision.