ElevenLabs hit with fresh lawsuit over use of voices by Pulitzer and Emmy-winning journalists

2026-05-14 · Source: Sifted · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Intellectual Property & Patents, Compliance & Risk Management · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, short

Summary

AI voice company ElevenLabs is facing a lawsuit in an Illinois court, filed by seven journalists and voice actors, including Pulitzer and Emmy-winning individuals. The plaintiffs allege that ElevenLabs used recordings of their voices to train its AI models without obtaining their consent. The lawsuit claims the company prioritized "speed and scale over compliance" and seeks damages ranging from "$1,500 to $7,500 per infringement" for each voice used. ElevenLabs, founded in 2022, has rapidly grown, raising a $19 million seed round and a $190 million Series B in 2024, achieving decacorn status. The company has previously faced criticism for its technology being used to generate deepfakes and for not adequately addressing misuse.

Key takeaway

For CTOs and legal teams developing or deploying AI voice technologies, you must prioritize explicit consent and robust data governance for all training data. Failure to do so, as seen with ElevenLabs, can lead to costly lawsuits and significant reputational damage, potentially impacting your company's valuation and operational continuity. Ensure your data acquisition processes are legally sound and transparent to mitigate future legal risks.

Key insights

AI voice synthesis companies face significant legal risks for unauthorized use of copyrighted voice data.

Principles

• Consent is paramount for using personal data in AI training.
• Compliance must precede speed and scale in AI development.

In practice

• Implement robust consent mechanisms for voice data acquisition.
• Audit existing AI models for unauthorized data use.

Topics

• ElevenLabs
• AI Voice Models
• Biometric Information Privacy Act
• Voice Impersonation
• Intellectual Property Rights

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Executive, Legal Professional, AI Ethicist, Director of AI/ML

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Sifted.