AI firm ElevenLabs to clone voices of Caine, McConaughey

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Two Hollywood icons are lending more than just their star power to artificial intelligence. Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey have both signed agreements with ElevenLabs, a New York-based AI voice-cloning company, granting it the right to replicate their voices using artificial intelligence. The deal marks a significant step for the startup, which has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in the AI voice synthesis space. ElevenLabs originally developed its technology to dub voices in multiple languages for films, audiobooks, and video games — all while preserving the speaker's tone, emotion, and style. Now, the tech is expanding into celebrity voice licensing. Caine, 92, said in a written statement that he sees this as a way for technology to support, not replace, the human spirit. "It's not about replacing voices; it's about amplifying them, opening doors for new storytellers everywhere," said Caine. "ElevenLabs is using innovation not to replace humanity, but to celebrate it." McConaughey, meanwhile, revealed that he's not just licensing his voice — he's also an investor in the company. Though financial details weren't disclosed, the actor said his partnership with ElevenLabs has been years in the making. He added that the deal would enable him to use his voice in different languages, including Spanish. "This deal will allow me to voice my newsletter in Spanish," McConaughey noted. Founded in 2022, ElevenLabs quickly attracted attention for its highly realistic voice synthesis — and also for the potential misuse of its technology. By January 2023, just months after its launch, the company acknowledged a rise in unethical uses of its tools, including the creation of deepfake content. In response, ElevenLabs implemented measures to curb misuse, such as limiting advanced features to paying users and requiring consent for cloning high-profile voices. However, concerns resurfaced in early 2024, when a consultant used ElevenLabs software to create a fake robocall mimicking President Joe Biden's voice and sent it to voters in New Hampshire. In the wake of that controversy, the company has further tightened its safeguards, vowing to block the cloning of celebrity or public figure voices unless proper authorization is provided. The Caine and McConaughey deals reflect a shift in the way celebrities are approaching AI — not as a threat, but as a tool they can harness on their own terms. For ElevenLabs, the partnerships also signal a growing legitimacy in an industry still grappling with ethical questions about consent, ownership, and identity in the age of synthetic media.