Famous Journalist David Greene Sues Google for Illegal Voice Replication by AI

The former host of the Morning Edition program on the American network NPR has challenged one of the world's largest tech companies. David Greene claims that the NotebookLM tool uses a synthetic voice that is nearly identical to his own. He learned of the application's existence by chance when former colleagues began bombarding him with questions about a new collaboration with Google. According to court documents, the journalist believes the algorithms faithfully replicate his unique cadence, intonation, and characteristic filler sounds he honed over decades of his professional career. The NotebookLM tool gained popularity thanks to its Audio Overviews feature, which can transform notes and documents into dynamic podcast-style broadcasts, typically led by a female and male AI duo. Greene argues that Google's actions violate his personal rights and constitute an attempt to freely appropriate the fruits of his years of work. Meanwhile, representatives of the corporation counter these attacks, claiming that generative technology created unique voices not based on any specific person. Disputes over voice ownership in the AI era have accelerated since 2023, when the high-profile case of Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI showed that the law cannot keep pace with the technological capabilities of biometric simulation. The journalist emphasizes that the harm is profound and concerns not only financial matters but, above all, professional credibility. As a public figure associated with reliable news journalism, Greene does not want his voice to promote any content generated by users of Google's tool. This lawsuit could set a precedent in the fight to protect creators' digital identity against Silicon Valley giants. „It's incredible and disturbing how much this voice resembles my own; it's more than just a similarity, it's my professional identity.” — David Greene Conflict: David Greene vs Google: : → ; : → ; : → U.S. copyright law and the Right of Publicity vary by state, making lawsuits against tech companies in California crucial for the entire sector. NotebookLM exemplifies technology designed to facilitate work but raises questions about the ethics of data sourcing. The court proceedings will likely force Google to disclose the training data sources used to build its audio model. In media circles, this case is seen as a pivotal moment for protecting the right of publicity in a world dominated by AI models. Liberal media emphasize protecting the rights of workers and artists from exploitation by tech corporations. | Conservative media may view such lawsuits as a brake on innovation and technical progress in the U.S.