“If unauthorized voice generation via AI is left unchecked, it could hinder the development of the voice acting industry,” stated Tsuda’s lawyers, in the translation provided by The Japan News. “Through winning this lawsuit, we hope to clarify the scope of what would constitute a violation of law and support voice actors in exercising their rights.”
However, the operator of TikTok’s Japanese subsidiary claims that the AI-narrated videos simply feature a “generic male voice,” which has been dubbed as the “艶つや/tsuya tsuya” voice by users on the platform (which roughly translates to “glossy/silky”). “We have been responding appropriately within the context of the lawsuit and will refrain from making any comment,” stated TikTok’s Japanese operator in the comment provided to The Yomiuri Shimbun. The first public argument in the case is expected to take place at some point in the next three months.