David Greene, a prominent figure in NPR's "Morning Edition," has initiated a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the male voice utilized in the company's NotebookLM tool bears an uncanny resemblance to his own. Reports from The Washington Post indicate that Greene became aware of this resemblance after receiving numerous messages from friends, family, and colleagues.
Greene expressed his belief that the AI voice mimics his unique cadence, intonation, and even his habitual use of filler words such as "uh." He emphasized the significance of his voice, stating, "My voice is, like, the most important part of who I am." Currently, he is also the host of the KCRW show "Left, Right, & Center."
NotebookLM, among its various features, enables users to generate podcasts with AI hosts. In response to Greene's allegations, a Google spokesperson clarified that the voice featured in NotebookLM's Audio Overviews is not modeled after Greene, asserting that it is based on a professional actor hired by the company.
This situation is not an isolated incident; there have been previous controversies regarding AI voices that closely resemble real individuals. A notable case involved OpenAI, which withdrew a ChatGPT voice after actress Scarlett Johansson raised concerns about its likeness to her own voice.