The families of the late actors Judy Garland, Sir Laurence Olivier, James Dean and Burt Reynolds have agreed to allow their voices to be used to narrate the audiobook.
London-based technology company ElevenLabs has developed an AI tool that can recreate the voices of these actors with astonishing accuracy.
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Actress Liza Minnelli, who represents the Gardland Foundation, said the agreement will allow her mother's voice to reach new fans.
“I am so grateful that my mother's voice will be heard by so many people who loved her,” Minnelli said.
“Our family believes this will bring new fans to Mom and inspire those who already cherish the unparalleled legacy she has left and continues to give to the world.”
Garland will be able to read The Wizard of Oz to a whole new generation of kids within the ElevenLabs Reader app.
“Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds and Sir Laurence Olivier are some of the most acclaimed actors in history,” said Dustin Blank, head of partnerships at Eleven Labs.
“We deeply respect their achievements and are honored to have their voices as part of our platform.
“Adding them to our growing list of narrators marks a major step in our mission to make content accessible in every language and voice.”
This isn't the first time AI has been used to “resurrect” a deceased celebrity.
Last year, AI-generated images revealed what Elvis Presley, Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury would have looked like in 2023 if they had never died.
Amazon also gave its Alexa gadgets the ability to chat with famous and historical figures, both deceased and living, using AI earlier this year.
The AI controversy also sparked a 118-day strike by Hollywood actors over concerns that film studios might replace them with AI technology.
Among the many arguments against AI is that the dead should be allowed to rest in peace.
What are the arguments against AI?
Artificial intelligence is a highly contentious issue, and it seems like everyone takes a position on it. Below are some common arguments against artificial intelligence:
Job loss – Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles disappear, others will emerge. However, many artists and writers argue that this is ethical, as generative AI tools are trained on their work and would not work otherwise.
Ethics – When AI is trained on datasets, much of the content is taken from the internet, most often, if not exclusively, without notifying the owners of the work being taken.
Privacy – Content from personal social media accounts can be fed into and train language models. This is a growing concern as Meta launches its AI assistant on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There are also legal issues with this. In 2016, the EU passed legislation to protect personal data, and similar legislation is expected to be enacted in the US.
Misinformation – Because AI tools get information from the internet, they can take it out of context or fall into hallucinations that lead to answers that don't make sense. Tools like Bing's Copilot and Google's generative AI in search are always at risk of serving up misinformation. Some critics argue that this could have deadly effects, such as AI prescribing false health information.
Following ElevenLabs' announcement, marketing consultant Corinne Streichert said in a LinkedIn post that companies should “let those who have passed away rest in peace and profit from the work they left behind.”
She added: “Plus, their loyal fans usually die with them and new stars are born along with new fans.”
“That's why we have generations.”
Judy Garland was exploited during her lifetime and continues to be exploited after her death.
In a separate comment, sound designer Dallas Taylor agreed with the allegations that Garland was badly exploited during her acting career that spanned more than 40 years.
In her in-progress memoir, Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, Garland alleges that MGM studios co-founder Louis B. Mayer sexually harassed her.
It has also been widely reported that Garland, who was just 16 at the time, was groped, drugged, and put on a prison-style diet by the Munchkins while filming the 1939 Technicolor classic, The Wizard of Oz.
“I love this technology and I find it fascinating, but it would be extremely arrogant to claim that it's done in the 'most authentic way possible,'” Taylor wrote.
“The problem is, when enough money is thrown at these people's children, their voices can be stolen from their graves for profit.
“Judy Garland was exploited in life and continues to be exploited after her death.”
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